


Wish You Were Here

by phillipthefrog



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 2005, Alternate Universe, Angst and Humor, Bottom Castiel, Bottom Dean, Case Fic, Human Castiel, M/M, Prostitution, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-10 15:58:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 29,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7851646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phillipthefrog/pseuds/phillipthefrog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On his 26th birthday, Castiel's best friend Meira is determined that he doesn't enter the second half of his 20s still a virgin-so much so that she will stop at no lengths to make sure that Cas has the best birthday present of his life, even if that means secretly paying a young and boisterous Dean Winchester behind her best friend's back to take the socially awkward boy's virginity. Things though get complicated when the case the Winchesters are on turns out to be more difficult than they expected-especially when they find out that they may just need Castiel's help to solve it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Simple Physics

_New Haven, 2005_

 

            For a Thursday, a week after finals, when everyone was expected to return home or be in the Alps skiing, the bar was crawling. Eager twenty somethings drowning themselves in copious amounts of alcohol, leaning into one another, laughing and rocking back and forth to Incubus' _Wish You Were Here_ , and letting the stresses of their lives slough off of them, like a snake's shedding their skin.

            It was a nice joint with two pool tables and gold lights and a throwback jukebox and nice mahogany floors. It was rumored the Bill Clinton once vomited in the women's toilet there. People off course believed it, the details seemed plausible.

            For all it's hip charm-well in spite of it's hip charm, Cas felt immensely uncomfortable. It was after all a compromise; Meira wanted to drag him to a gay bar. She had heard about one closer to the University that was apparently crawling with hot guys-but in Cas' mind, it was probably crowded with go-go boys and guys like himself with argyle sweaters and trust funds.

            "Fine!" Meira had thrown her hands up. "You're not going to get laid!" That's what this was all about. Meira was determined for Castiel to finely lose his virginity. He had turned 26 today and Meira, believing herself benevolent, had made it her sole duty to ease the burden of his purity from his shoulders-well not literally. That would be unpleasant to say the least. Women weren't exactly his thing and although Meira was his best friend, reasonably cute, as well as the girl his father believed he was dating, engaging in anything more than the casual cuddle fest as they watched _Gilmore Girls_ was close to sacrilege.

            They weren't alone. Meira had invited the whole Yale troop. Meira herself was 5 feet and 4 inches tall with thick, black curly hair and a large, hawk like nose she was very self-conscious of. She had very warm brown eyes that went rather well in Castiel's opinion with the earth goddess look of her wardrobe, with it's crimson knitted sweaters, green corduroy pants, and clunky rock jewelry. She came from a prominent Jewish family of physicists and she was currently working towards her PhD in subatomic particles. As to her personality, it can be said that she liked very tall men, Sarah McLachlan records, thick incenses, and had an albino ferret. She was good-hearted, clever, prone to accidents, and contrary to the Jewish stereotype, had a tendency to under analyze things.

            The other woman in the pack was Jennifer. Like Cas, Jenny was gay. She looked the part, with her short blonde hair and androgynous clothing. Everyone thought that she was a Women's Studies major but like Cas, her focus was on religion and theology. She wanted to be a minister. Ironically, she was always surrounded by women, many of which she went to various hotels with at random. The group easily lost her. But she was the life of the party, sardonic, rebellious, but then suddenly philosophical. Meira admired her greatly and often wished that she were a man.

            There were two other guys, the first one, Brad, Cas met at the tennis court, mistaking his friendliness as flirtation. Luckily before he had said anything, Brad's girlfriend had come over and introduced herself. They had long since broken up-his fault, of course. Brad looked and acted like one would expect from a guy named Brad who had graduated from Yale. He was on the fast track to being the CEO to his dad's Fortune 500 company. He thought himself very funny and fancied himself one of those golden boys, a real old sport who played tennis and golf with high power execs and politicians, was mildly handsome in the New England way, and believed that he had a chance with every woman with whom he talked. Meira had a crush on him, one in which Castiel advised strictly against. Brad was nice but he had already planned on marrying a supermodel.

            Then there was the last of their group, Chase who was generally forgettable. Castiel was kind but he had to admit that Chase was so painfully bland that he often looked at him and felt a strong pang of pity, and Cas was a so-called idiot savant virgin. Chase was 6 feet tall but seemed like he was 5'9" with sandy blonde hair that he still frosted despite the fact that fashion had faded away years ago and he wore sweater vests, sometimes baby blue ones. He loved comic books but he studied economics because he didn't want to disappoint his father. If Brad believed that he had a chance with every girl he spoke to, Chase fell for every girl that spoke to him. He was a good guy who would always help you if you were in a tight spot.

            And so it was the five of them, taking a table against the wall right between the bar and the pool table. It was prime real estate according to Jenny and since she was the coolest one of their group, they believed her.

            "So, the game plan is to pop little Cas' cherry, huh?" Brad laid a good nature slap on Cas' back.

            "Shh! Don't say it so loud." Meira from behind her glasses narrowed her eyes at him.

            "I can get laid anywhere but, honestly, Cas" Jenny said, leaning back into her chair. "This place is like breeders central."

            "Well, I tried to get him to go to a gay bar but he refused."

            "Please. Let's just have some drinks and have a good time," Cas protested. The direction of this conversation was torturously embarrassing. "Meira is mistaken. We're not here for that purpose."

            "Yes we are!"

            "Meira, please," he gave her one his looks.

            "You're 26, Cas! Even Chase has gotten laid."

            "Hey!" But Chase wasn't really insulted. He understood the absurdity.

            "Well, with all due respect to Chase, it is statistically more likely that there are more self-identifying heterosexual women than homosexual men."

            "Statistics, shmistics. Who needs numbers, anyway?" Meira sipped at the beer the irrationally hot waitress had just served them.

            "I find that statement oddly uncharacteristic coming from a physicist, " he reported.

            Brad finally dragging his probing gaze from the swaying rear of the waitress, added, "He can't get laid because he talks like a little computer man."

            Suddenly the bar erupted with groans and whining, and one guy's loud yelp of victory. "Ah ha, Sammy!" the guy said, punching the air and going straight for the money. "I am so smooth. I guess they don't teach getting your ass handed to you at the Ivy League, do they?" he said smugly to some other young man who he had just swindled out of his cash. He raised his brows and smiled and if he weren't so beautiful, you'd want to punch him right in the face.

            "You cheated," the guy whined.

            Sammy, a tall kid no more than 23, leaned against the pool table and rolled his eyes. He sipped at his beer as the obnoxious guy let out a string of boasts, ending it with a "pff, nerds."

            "I should kick your ass!" the loser pointed an angry finger at him.

            "Oh yeah? What are you going to do, throw a textbook at me? Good luck doing that with your carpet tunnel."

            "It's carpal tunnel," Sammy corrected.

            The obnoxious guy looked at him. It took a couple seconds for him to compute before finally saying, "whatever."

            The guy who lost was talked down by a couple of his friends. "It's not worth it", they were saying. "He's just a jerk," "This is probably the only way he makes money."

            Cas' friends had long since stopped watching the drama unfold, but he couldn't. He watched as the obnoxious guy started resetting the table, taken obviously by the young man's startling beauty and his easy smile. He was tall, although not as tall as his companion. He was lean, with big eyes, and lips that always seemed to be in a pout. He looked like a movie star, whose handsomeness even brought men like James Dean or Marlon Brando to shame. He wore a tight grey shirt that suggested a lean well-formed body and blue jeans. He had long necklace that swayed back and forth when he leaned over the table. His brown hair was spiked up naturally from when he occasionally ran his fingers through it whenever he wanted to be extra smug.

            "Cas," Meira grabbed his wrist.

            "Yes?" They had gone on with their conversation but he hadn't paid it any attention.

            She looked over at the young man he had been watching. "Um, no offence Cas but that guy-"

            "I'm not interested," he lied and redirected his gaze back to his beer.

            They talked about various things, about school, about their PhDs and about whether or not Brad should hit on the waitress. Useless, Jenny had told him. The waitress kept trying to make passes at Sammy who kept shaking his head no at her but she was relentless, probably had never been turned down in her whole life. Brad though was still convinced that he should take a chance. Chase then talked about this girl at the library and asked them if he should say hi. Why not? Brad said but they all knew it was pointless. The banter went on, Jenny impressing the lot with how many chicks she's bagged, and Meira gasping in reverential awe and Brad moaning in jealousy. All the while, Cas kept turning to look at the pool player as he conquered another unsuspecting victim.

***

 

            He was so pathetically smitten that he looked the spitting image of a sad puppy and with his bright blue eyes, a little husky at that. The wheels in Meira's head were turning. She turned and whispered in Chase's ear, "Take Cas outside and talk to him."

            He gave her a confused look but unable to turn down a favor that was asked of him, he told the birthday boy that he needed to speak to him outside, something personal that he couldn't say in front of the others. It was weird and awkward and Cas seemed perplexed by it, but there were very few things that Cas wasn't perplexed by.

            As soon as they were gone, Jenny glared at her. "What are you doing?"

            "Cas has been staring at that guy all night. I'm going to go talk to him."

            "And what, be his winggal?"

            "Yeah."

            Brad examined him closely and turning to the women said conclusively, "I doubt he would be interested."

            "Yeah," Jenny agreed. "Total toxic masculinity type. He's cat called every girl that passed him and he's so ew that even with a jaw like that he's o for I don't know, 20?"

            "Doesn't matter. Cas has been literally staring at him all night. Haven't you guys noticed?"

            "Of course, we've noticed," Brad said.

            "Well? It's worth a shot. He's never even so much as appeared interested in anyone and I've known that guy since freshman year of undergrad."

            "Well, can you blame him? I'm straight but even I have to admit, that guy looks like he walked out of a magazine and that's an understatement." He downed his beer, a vague sense of inferiority coming over him.

            "Cas is not going into the second half of his twenties a freakin virgin, ok?"

            Jenny threw herself back in a loud sigh. "Common, Meirry, can't you pick a more realistic guy?"

            She slipped to her feet and straightened out her shirt, grabbing her purse, she examined its contents closely and said with a thin, accomplished smile, "I have a plan."

            They both knew immediately what that meant. Doom came over them like a shadow. Brad mouthed an 'oh no', but he was too shocked to summon his vocal chords. Meira didn't care and confidently, she marched over to the pretty guy.

            He stared at her coming at him with wide eyes, unsure of whether he found her attractive but coming to the conclusion that despite looking like Virginia Woolf's number one fan, he'd lay with her in her patchouli drenched bed. "Hey," he smirked.

            For all his handsomeness, Meira couldn't quite find it in herself to be attracted to him. The younger one who watched them with look of mildly shocked bemusement was more of her type. This one was too forcefully butch. He probably liked ACDC, cheap beer, and pro-wrestling.

            "Hi, I'm Meira," she stood up straight.

            "Well, aren't you plucky, Meira. I'm Dean. This is my little brother, Sammy."

            "Hi, nice to meet you. Dean, can I talk to you for a second," She eyed the tall Sammy. "In private."

            "Absolutely." God he was creepy. No amount of chisel could compensate for his cockiness. It was obvious that he thought himself cute.

            She grabbed his arm and dragged him some ways away. He turned to mouth something to his brother. "So Dean? First off, I'm not interested in you."

            "What-"

            "Personally, that is. I actually, have a friend who has been looking at you all night and is really interested in you."

            "I'm listening." He was smirking.

            "It's their birthday and I want to do something really nice for them and um, the thing is, they're sorta..."

            "Shy? I can do shy. I mean, I've been told I bring out the best in people." Dean raised his brows, his stupid perverted smirk still plastered on his face. "If you catch my drift."

            She wanted to say that only an idiot wouldn't catch his drift-well an idiot or Castiel. Castiel would think he was talking about the flow patterns of the Mississippi. She could see him now asking this disturbingly good looking clown if he worked for the National Park Service.

            "Virginal," she said at last but of course, she wasn't done with the revelations. She had a whole list.

            "Well, I tend to avoid those types. Usually start catching emotions but since it's your friend's birthday, I can make an exception. I am quite the gift."

            Ugh. Gag me with a spoon, she wanted to say. Resurrecting that old 80s adage seemed the most appropriate reply to his bloated ego.

            "I'll pay you."

            That startled him. "Pay me?"

            "Yes, there's a little thing...that might...um..." How was she going to say it?

            "I don't care if she's a bit bigger. I mean, more to love, right?" he winked. He actually winked. UGHHHHH.

            In a pained croak, she corrected, "he."

            "He?" The smile was finally gone.

            "He and no, he's not particularly big and if it means anything, he's actually really fit and attractive. I actually think he's better looking than you. Maybe not your brother, your brother is like-"

            "Hey!" he smacked his hands together. She was nervously rambling. "You're asking me to sleep with your guy friend?"

            "Yes. But like I said, I'll pay but of course," she moved closer and whispered, "You can't tell him I paid you, okay?'

            Dean finally drank from the bottle of beer he had been holding this whole time. "Not interested," he said just before he brought it to his lips.

            "Five grand."

            He spat the beer out. "Five-fi-Did you just say five grand? Like 5 comma zero, zero, zero then period?"

            She nodded. "Yes."

            "Aren't you like a starving college kid?"

            "I'm 25 and my mother is a Nobel prize winning physicist and my father teaches at Harvard. We have three mansions, one here in New Haven, one in England, and another in Israel."

            He gaped at her like she was speaking Hebrew. "So five thousand dollars is nothing to you?"

            "Are you bargaining?"

            "Um, wait. Let me just get this straight. You're gonna pay me all that money to sleep with your friend, a guy?"

            "Yes, but you have to pretend that you're interested in him and that you're not doing it for money because he'll definitely not like that. He's sorta the... I don't know? Sincere type?"

            She could see the gears in his brain turning. Standing less than a foot from him, she thought she could hear their rusted machinery screaming. "Cash?"

            "I'll give you a thousand now and the rest afterwards, okay? Just so I know you won't go back on the deal. Do you agree to that?"

            Dean stared at her, measuring her up. She obviously wasn't lying to him and had the intention of giving him all that money and probably more if he asked. He was tempted to. "I've never been paid to..."

            "He's not exactly some creepy 50 year old bald guy who wants you to call him daddy, okay? Like I said, he's cute. Like really cute. I mean, seriously. He's super cute."

            Just then, Cas and Chase reentered the bar. They looked like they just had a heart to heart by the emotional look on Chase's face. "That's him," she pointed.

            Dean must have thought she was talking about Chase because he gave her a look that said "Come on."

            "No, him," she pointed again at Cas who had just returned to his seat at the table. Dean stared at him for a long while. She couldn't read his expression.

            "He looks gay," he finally said.

            "No, he doesn't."

            "Yeah, he does."

            "Whatever. Will you?"

            Jenny said something to make Cas laugh. "Well, I could use the money. Why do you think I've been swindling these rich kids all night?" He kept staring at Cas, obviously trying to work himself up to it.

            Meira turned him towards the bar where no one could see them. She pulled out the wad of cash. She had brought all of it thinking she’d be shoving it in some go-go boy's underwear all night. Well, this wasn't too far off from that. She counted off ten of the hundred dollar bills and folding it in half, handed it to him. Obviously, he saw the rest that she held in her hand and Meira could tell that he had never seen so much money in one place.

            He took the cash all the while trying to regain his breath. "Okay, so lets just say you came here and asked me if you could play a game of pool with us," he was already plotting. Meira was beside herself with excitement. Castiel was going to be over the moon with joy! She felt like the bestest friend anyone could have in whole world. "And we got to talking about um, I don't know? The physics of pool or whatnot."

            "Sounds good. Let me go get my friends and we can get this show on the road."

            He seemed nervous. "Okay."

 

***

            While the girl was making her way back to the table, Dean approached his brother. By the way Dean was acting, Sam could tell something was up. "Dean, you do remember why we're really here?"

            "I think I've got the answer to our problem," he said in a low voice, all the while staring at Meira and her friends.

            "What do you mean, Dean?"

            "How much is dad's bond money?"  
            "Ten grand."

            "And how much do we have?

            "Two from pool tonight-which is amazing by the way, for one night. And about another if we sell that hunting rifle to that crazy guy you met at the gas station-which by the way, I'm very against."

            "Well," he looked up at Sam. "You might be very against this."

            Sam straightened up to his full 6 feet, 4 inches. "What are you talking about, Dean?" he asked between his teeth.

            "That girl said she would pay me 5 thousand dollars to sleep with her friend."

            "The blonde? Honestly Dean, she's looks like a text book Melissa Etheridge fan."

            "No. That one is obviously a lesbian."

            Then Sammy caught his meaning. He could tell by how he nearly dropped his jaw. Just as Meira was finally coming back, Sam protested in an angry whispered, "You are not prostituting yourself to bail dad out from jail. We may live out of car but Dean, there are some limits to what we'll do."

            Dean just looked at him.

            "Hi, again! This is my new friend, Dean and his brother Sammy," she said to her friends. "This is Jenny." She glared at them with folded arms. "Brad." he looked suspicious. "Chase," he raised his beer to them as if to say hi. Nice guy, probably a tool. "And this is Castiel, we call him Cas." Cas was standing off to the side, quiet and shy. He looked at them and then looked away as if he was distracted by everyone else in the bar.

            Dean examined him more closely now, feeling grateful that Meira hadn't lied that he was attractive at least. He was somewhat smaller than Dean and slim. He wore his dark hair short and messy-Dean, figured that she must have done his hair. It looked too bad boy for a guy like him. He had a heart-shaped face with prominent, delicate cheekbones and large eyes that even from this distance, Dean could tell were a vivid blue. His lips like the bones of his face were peculiar looking, they were somewhat full with the upper lip, sharply pointed. He reminded Dean of one of those blue-eyed cats. He wore grey jeans and a black sweater whose sleeves he tugged at nervously.

            When he was introduced, he didn't say anything but nodded.

            "Nice to meet you guys," Sammy smiled and greeted them warmly but Dean could tell he was uncomfortable and faking it. "You guys go here?"

            "Yeah," Jenny answered flatly.

            "Meira said you guys were good pool players and you were going to show us some tricks!" Chase said. He didn't know the ruse; in fact, it appeared that no one by Meira was aware of it. Brad and Jenny though suspected something.

            "Well, I have been kicking ass all night!" Dean smacked his hands together. Cas stole a look at him from the corner of his eyes.

            "Before we begin," Sam grabbed his brother shoulder. "How about you guys set the table up and um, me and brother go get a pitcher and some cups, alright?" He forced a smile.

            "Okay," Meira agreed.

            He practically dragged Dean to the bar. "What the hell?" he whispered.

            Dean ordered a pitcher from the waitress, pretending he hadn't heard him.

            "You're not ignoring me on this one, Dean. Dean?!"

            With a sigh, he looked at his little brother. "What do you want me to say?"

            "How about start with how you lost your mind?"

            "Look, dad doesn't deserve to be locked up. We both know that guy he iced was a werewolf," he said all this under his breath of course, making sure no one heard the details of their mad lives. "We bail him, and then skip town. But the longer we wait, the more likely, this is going to go on even longer and that doesn't spell out good things, Sam and I know you know that."

            "So you're gonna whore youself?"

            The waitress brought the pitcher at just that time. She gave them a weird look.

            "He thinks I should respect myself more," Dean smiled and paid the girl a ten.

            "Right," she nodded and walked away.

            "Which one is it, Dean? The computer geek, the Republican, or the serial killer?" Sam still wasn't ok with this. Oh well. Dean knew this was the fastest and easiest way to score that much cash and as usual, Dean felt that he had to be the one to do the hard things for the good of the family. Could be worse, he said to himself. "Well?"

            "I'm assuming the one you called the serial killer."

            He expected a retort or some protestation about how he was likely the next Jeffrey Dahmer but Sam just tilted his head as if to say, ok, at least it was the good looking one.

            By the time they made it back with the beer, the group of friends were having a laugh and messing around, screwing the whole table up. Of course, these trust fund babies wouldn't respect the beauty of billiards Dean said self-righteously to himself. Cas was a bit off to the side, a pool stick in his hand; he was leaning on it, his big blue eyes staring aimlessly to the floor.

            Alright, Dean, he said to himself. Go time. He tried to ignore Sam's tension when he made his way over to him. "Cas, right?" Cas was visibly frightened. "Have you played before?" He gave him his most charming smile but that just seemed to make Cas even more scared. Glancing at Sam, his little brother stared back at him with a look of pity for the guy. "I'm Dean." Nothing. Just glossy eyes of terror. "Um, no offense, but cat got your tongue?" He was trying to tease him.

            "No," he shook his head. "I mean I've never played before." It was painful for him to speak. His voice came out choppy, almost unintelligible being it was already naturally deep and raspy. His friends watched on, trying to stifle their laughter.

            "So you do talk?" He gave him his Elvis smirk. Cas gripped the stick tightly. "Two on two? Sammy and Meira versus me and you, winner plays the next pair?" he offered. When Cas didn't say anything, he asked, "Do you mind playing with me?" The way he said that last part made Sam choke on his beer. Dean had seen enough porns to know the best and most suggestive way to deliver that line.

            There was so much painful tension that Sam mercifully stepped up. "We'll start!" he said, sharing a look of great discomfort with his new teammate who just grinned back at him with glee. Sam of course, was good but Meira was awful. After he pocketed two balls, she almost popped one right in the air and off the table.

            "Our turn! I'll go first. Now, watch," he said to Cas who nodded quickly. He leaned forward and with expert words, explained how you were supposed to position your stick all the while laying out the rules of the game, as well as displaying to Castiel who stood stiffly behind him, his own perfect anatomy. Cas was impressed, more with Dean than with his ability to explain pool. He pocketed one and said, "Alright, show me what you got, grasshopper."

            "You want me to go?"

            "That's the idea."

            Cas leaned over and tried but he missed the ball entirely and instead impaled the air. Now, here was the next step in the performance. Dean positioned himself behind Cas, edging up close to him so close that he could smell him. He smelt like clean laundry and winter fresh bubble gum. He grabbed Cas' hands into his own and moved them up. He could tell that Cas was staring at his mouth instead of paying attention to what he was showing him. Dean returned his gaze.

            Up close, he was even prettier Dean realized. He had a seriousness in his big blue eyes. It looked curiously innocent but intense. There was something strangely familiar about him, or perhaps he had such a way about him, that he left one feeling that way. Some people were so dull, that you thought you knew them because you had met so many others just like them. But then there were others who were so distinct that their presence almost seemed like a form of nature itself, you could point to a place in time when you first met and yet, when you did it was like viewing a famous landmark you had known about your whole life, like the Golden Gate Bridge or the Grand Canyon, or in the case of Castiel with those eyes, the ocean.

            Dean shook it off. Maybe he was overthinking it because he knew that eventually, he was going to have to work himself up to having sex with this guy.

            "Got it?" he asked him with a smile.

            "I think so, Dean." He liked the way he said his name, it sounded different in that deep voice. Stepping back, Dean let Cas have a go at it.

            The awkward guy examined the table with his eyes darting about as if he were looking at a map or a math equation. He glanced back at Dean who winked at him. Cas shifted himself. Dean could tell that he didn't want to disappoint him.

            And he didn't.

            Suddenly, Castiel became a pool god and he hit every one of his targets. The others just gaped at him, even Meira who laughed madly at this display of sudden dominance.

            Wow, Sam shook his head in shock and Dean turned to Cas, "How the hell?"

            "It's a game of simple physics, Dean," he reported back to him. "After one estimates the lengths and angles according to Pythagorean trigonometry, all one has to do estimate the amount of force necessary to make a ball of this mass reach the requisite ball, so that that ball can reach it's target. Of course, after one considers the amount of friction the table exerts, it's not terribly difficult."

            Silence.

            Dean stared at Cas without expression. It must have been funny because Sam started laughing at the insanity of it all.

            "Sorry, I forgot to mention," Meira giggled. "Cas is a genius."

            "Newton was a genius, Einstein was a genius, I'm not, I'm-"

            "Rain man?" Dean suggested.

            Cas tilted his head like a confused puppy. "Rain man? I'm not familiar with his work."

            Dean turned and looked at his brother. Really? Really?! Sam bit at his lip. It was all too amusing.

            "It's a movie, Cas," Sam explained. "About an autistic guy."

            "Oh, well," he tilted his chin in and conceding slightly, said with a small smile. "I'm not familiar with films so I do have my short comings."

            Dean wanted to pull Meira away and yell at her. Couldn't he be a normal homosexual who watched Will & Grace and liked Mai Tais? Not this freak. No wonder he was virgin. Was he going to start talking about the velocity of ejaculation right in the middle of it?

            Being stared at like that made Cas ashamed; he looked down and apologized. "I'm sorry. I'm..." He wanted to say something else but instead just finished with the word "different."

            "Don't apologize," Sam said. He was super impressed. "That's amazing what you did there. Can you count cards?" He asked, the thought suddenly occurring to him.

            Cas feeling relief by Sam's question, attempted to ignore the rude way Dean was staring at him and replied, "Yes I can count cards but I'm very bad at telling when people are 'bluffing'." Oh god, he actually used the scare quote fingers. "There's very little reward in playing games like that for me."

            "Kicking ass and taking names isn't enough?" Sam laughed.

            "I'm not very competitive."

            "Not even for large sums of money?"

            "I'm very wealthy so money isn't much an incentive for me," he reported matter-of-factly.

            Meira was glaring at Dean. Her eyes were all alight with murder. "Dean," she said. "We're out of beer already. Um, and I could use some nachos. Care to go to the bar with me?"

            He glared back. "Love to."

            It was race to who could yell at the other one first. "What the fuck!" She spat at him. She kept reballing her fists as if fighting with herself not to punch him in the face.

            "You never said he was a freakin' freak!"

            "Oh look at that. So clever, can't even come up with a unique adjective?"

            "He's a unique adjective," he spat back. They argued at each other with voices barely above a whisper but anyone looking at them could tell that they were one bad word away from homicide.

            "Good thing you have your looks. If you lose even a handful of brain cells, they'd have to put you back in the 5th grade."

            "He's a weirdo," he stated simply as if that was reason enough.

            "And you're a whore. So what? Did you expect something else?"

            "First off, Helen Keller-"

            "What?! Helen Keller! That doesn't even make sense, you do realize that?"

            "Don't interrupt me. First off, I'm not a whore. If anything, I'm a high class call girl, alright?"

            She gave him a once over and retorted with much sass, "oh yeah, high class call girl who chugs cheap beer with a ten dollar hair cut."

            "Secondly," he ignored her insult. "I don't know if I can even get it," he put emphasis on 'it' because in his mind, 'it' deserved emphasis. "Up. Get me? And I can get 'it' up for a lot of things but I'm not sure that guy doesn't belong in a hospital somewhere."

            "If you don't want to do it, then give me my money back."

            "I'm inclined to take it just because I had to deal with that weird experience."

            "You know, you didn't seem too disinterested when you were grinding up next to him imparting your pool hall wisdom, you two faced skank."

            "Enough with the insults, ok Fran Dresser?"

            "Oh, you finally found a Jewish girl in the wealth of your second rate pop culture database? Look, we can banter all night. Are you gonna give my money back or should I call the cops and say you lifted it off me? Something tells me, they'll believe a good PhD student over some rando roadkill drifter." She stared at him, waiting for his answer.

            Dean was 2 seconds from handing her the cash but then he thought of his dad. If he could bail him out tonight, then they could easily skip town and his dad could avoid the charges. Maybe he was just overreacting. Cas was a weird, awkward virgin. He'd probably cum in 5 minutes and then Dean could bounce. "I'll do it but I'm not happy about it."

            "Well, you better be nice to him. I'm paying you to make him happy, not you. So you better go up to him and be Prince fucking Charming, you little ignorant shit."

            "Hey, you're pretty heavy on the insults."

            "You talking shit about my best friend, Dean. He's worth twenty of you and then some. So if you say another bad thing about him, I will make you wish you were never born in that backwoods trailer you crawled out from."

            That was the end of it. There was no more reason to fight. She paid for the beer and the food. Cas was in the middle of explaining the nuances of Hagia Sofia's architecture to Sam who chimed in occasionally with a little snippet of knowledge himself. The other three were busy playing a game of pool themselves, outright abandoning the little tournament that Dean had proposed.

            Whatever. Let's get this shit over.

            Cas was startled when he felt Dean drape his arm over him. He stopped in mid sentence and stared at him with that frightened look of his. "Hey, nerds," Dean greeted. "Sorry, I was looking at you that way earlier. You're like a real life Vulcan." He gave him his best flirtatious smile.

            "Vulcan?"

            "Nevermind. We good?"

            "Of course, Dean." He did his little tilty head thing, "we good," he tried and failed horribly at adopting his way of speech. Dean wanted to scream but smiled instead.

            "Meira told me it was your birthday. Happy Birthday."

            "Thank you." Cas couldn't look at him. Feeling the weight of Dean's muscular arm was overwhelming. Sam stared at him piteously and sharing a look with his brother, begged Dean not to do this. In his little good guy brain, it was cruel to pretend to like him.

            Dean brushed Sammy's pleas off. "What's it like being born a baby genius?"

            "I told you I'm not-"

            "Right, Newton and Einstein. But you're damned smart, aren't you?"

            "I've had more than appropriate schooling," Cas said to the floor.

            Dean mouthed the words 'go away' to Sam who begrudgingly with his puppy dog eyes left to talk to the others. Cas was about to say something about his leaving but Dean interrupted. "So, Cas, do little baby geniuses like music?"

            "I enjoy it, yes." He seemed to be analyzing the situation.

            "What kind?"

            "All sorts." He answered absently, trying to figure out why Sam just upped and left. "Dean," he met his gaze finally.

            For some reason, when he did that, Dean could feel his stomach dropping. "What's up?"

            "You seem a very boisterous and lively individual. You appear to warm quickly to others, you smile easily, and I'm assuming you make fast friends."

            "...okay?"

            "I want you to know that I've noted your attempt to befriend me." He waited for a reply. What a total freak.

            "I've noted that you've noted that," he answered, trying his best to come off nice despite the ridiculousness of this conversation.

            "I think you should know that I'm," he paused. This was hard for him. "I'm homosexual and I am aware that that fact can make heterosexual men like yourself uncomfortable and it is important to know when deciding who to befriend and whether they feel at ease around them."

            Dean smiled. "I'm know you're gay, Cas. Meira told me."

            He looked betrayed. His brow furrowed rather adorably.

            "I see."

            "She told me you were watching me all night."

            Cas clenched his jaw, overcome with humiliation.

            "I'm not being friendly, Cas," he tried to catch his eyes with his. "I'm flirting with you."

            "Flir-"

            "She said that you're shy. At first, I didn't know who she was talking about but um, of course, after I saw you..." He bit at his lips seductively. Cas looked like a mouse cornered by an evil cat. Dean assumed he was the cat. He took a step closer to him, so close that his forehead nearly touched his. "How about we go somewhere else? Hm? Get away from all this noise. You can talk to me about trigonometry and I can teach you about anatomy, if you get my meaning."

            Cas swallowed deeply. His pupils were so large and the blue around them was so bright. He couldn't get a grip on all the emotions that were coursing through him. Dean almost felt bad for the strange little alien.

            He didn't wait for his answer because he knew that Cas was more likely to have an asthmatic fit than speak. "Me and Cas are bouncing," he turned and said to the others. Cas' friends seemed pleasantly surprised and Sam just stared at him disapprovingly. "I'm taking the Impala. I'll see you in the morning, here?" he said as if he were talking to Sam but he was really talking to Meira. She gave a small nod.

            "Dean..." Cas attempted to speak.

            "Yeah?"

            "What..."

            He grabbed Cas's arm and led him out of the bar. In the late spring air, he felt like he could breathe. It was wonderfully quiet. Cas couldn't stop looking at the ground. "This is my car," he showed him the Impala. "Nice, ain't it?"

            "It's very impressive, Dean," he agreed.

            It took some time to get him to get in but he eventually did. They sat in tense silence for several minutes. "So, you live here?" 

            "I'm staying at a hotel until I find an apartment. Dean?"

            "Yeah?" he looked at him.

            "What are we doing?"

            "We're driving in my car."

            "Why?"

            Dean suddenly pulled the car over, the Impala coming to halt in a loud screech. Cas appeared even more scared, believing that he had done something wrong. "I know this is new for you," Dean said to him. New for me too, he wanted to add but he knew he shouldn't.

            "I don't normally get in cars with people I just met."

            "Cas." The little nerd actually looked kinda cute, the yellow streetlights creating shadows along the angles of his face. There wasn't anything he really could say, was there? So, Dean just reached over and pulled Cas close by the neck, his lips grazed against his. "Can I?" he asked in a soft voice.

            "Kiss..."

            "Yes."

            "Yes."

            And so, Dean kissed him, softly at first, aware that this was an entirely foreign experience for Cas. He received Dean with trepidation at first, scared of every little touch or sound. But it soon faded and when Dean pulled away slightly, Cas in his eagerness kissed him again, fumbling and hungrily pressing his mouth against his so that their teeth hit each other. Dean laughed, this time sincerely. "Easy," he smiled. "It's alright." He pecked him on the lips. "Where's your hotel?"

            Cas told him, the name and the direction.

            Again, they sat quietly.

            Ten minutes passed, painfully and awkwardly.

            "So what do you do for fun?" Dean asked, attempting conversation.

            "Read. Or sit and think."  
            Oh god above, please deliver me, Dean prayed internally. This little creepy, weirdo. But instead of telling him that if you sat there and thought long enough as to count it as a hobby, you were probably a nut job, Dean just nodded his head and said "Nice."

            "You, Dean?"

            "Like working on my car, like listening to my records, messing with my little brother. I drink, get laid," he winked at Cas, who immediately became flushed.

            They pulled up to the hotel. It was one of those five star joints, with the valet with the little caps on their heads. It was about four stories tall and brightly lit. Old men and women came and went dressed in fancy clothes, carrying themselves like aristocracy. Cas immediately apologized for it. "It's obnoxious. My father insisted."

            "Right."

            Reluctantly, Dean surrendered the keys to the valet who greeted Cas with familiarity. The hotel was ridiculously fancy, with tall ceilings and chandeliers and a goddamn fountain inside. Cas walked briskly passed the doorman, leading Dean to the elevator. They even had a guy inside whose sole job was to push buttons. He and Cas knew one another. "Friend from school, sir?"

            "Yes," he lied.

            But by looking at him, you could tell he didn't believe that for a second. He probably suspected the truth. He did after all work in the hospitality business, and with rich people nonetheless.

            Cas' room was as Dean expected. Nice. As. Hell. Dean even whistled when they went inside. The bed was on a raised platform and he even had a loft where there were sofas and a kitchenette. Everything was white or off white and the windows were huge. Cas all the while, couldn't even look at Dean. He was so embarrassed by everything.

            "What's it like being filthy rich?"

            "It's tasking on the conscience for one," he answered.

            "I'm going to pretend like I understood that," Dean laughed. The liquor was probably upstairs and he was going to need all the liquid courage he could get. "I'm going to get a drink." Before Cas could say anything, Dean bounded up the stairs and plucked some absurdly fancy looking bottle. Coming back down, he asked Cas how much this stuff was.

            "I don't know. Ten thousand?" he took a guess.

            Dean stared at him and muttered a pathetic sorry for busting into it.

            "You're welcome to it."

            "Thanks." He took another drink. Life as a high class call girl wasn't too bad. To think, this was more money than how much Meira was paying him. He should have renegotiated his price.

            Cas stood there, staring at the floor, and looking out of place, here in this hotel room that he had probably called home for weeks if not months and it was all because of Dean. He felt bad about it for some reason. "Hey," Dean said to him softly. He put the bottle down and approached him. "You okay?"

            "I'm fine."

            "Look, it's normal to be nervous," he said sweetly to him, placing both hands on Cas' face and lifting it up. "I'll take care of you. You can trust me, alright? We can take it slow, one thing at a time. And when you want to stop, we can stop. Your call, okay?"

            The lighting in this room was brighter than in the bar and where this would do a disservice to most people, Cas looked nearly ethereal with his intense and curious gaze, blue and innocent.

            He kissed him before undressing himself, Cas watching, resigning himself at last to his desire. It looked sad and wanton on him. Once Dean was naked, he began removing Cas' clothes.

            He moved to kiss him but Dean, playfully avoided it. He appeared confused and hurt. Laughing, Dean pecked him. "I'm teasing you." He went to kiss Cas again who, with a similar motion, avoided him. "Look at you, catching on quick, little baby genius." Cas smiled sincerely, a truly happy smile. Dean hadn't really seen it since he watched him from afar when Meira first proposed her little plan.

            It warmed Dean, the way his face looked like that and to think, it was because of him. He grabbed him and pulled him close, skin to skin, Cas's erection against his own. Dean expected this to feel unnatural and strange but it wasn't.

            He was surprised by how comfortable it felt and with his arms around Cas, Dean playfully rocked him so that he'd lose his footing and begin to laugh.

            The little freak was actually somewhat cute.

            Dean had never done this before but he knew instinctively what to do. Although in his mind, he thought it would be revolting, he rather enjoyed putting his mouth on Cas, the skin was soft and yet, it was firm and hard and felt good on his tongue, like sucking on candy but better and the scent of his own saliva mingling with whatever it was, made him want it more. Cas made small little grunts and caressed the back of his head.

            Dean knew he was good at this. He could put the whole thing in his mouth. He licked it from base to tip and made the other man whimper and beg.

            Finally, once Dean crawled on top of him, and lifted his legs, fingers first and pushed it in slowly, he knew that Cas had forgotten what it was like to be human and became instead a mass of nerves and desire. His body was tight and when he pushed his head back from pleasure and exposed his throat, Dean was convinced that despite the failings of his personality, he was beautiful. He even heard himself say that to him as he kissed his neck, oddly loving the way the scuff on Cas' chin felt against his nose.

            He finally came inside with Cas, pinned down, gripping at the pillow and his back curved so wonderfully. Dean knew that Cas surprisingly had yet to cum, so he pulled out and pushed Cas on his back. He knelt down at the edge of the bed, and kissed him there on his erection. He couldn't believe what he was doing but if he stopped to think about it, he'd probably go mad. Cas catching on quickly began to stroke himself against Dean's open mouth. It was like something out of pornographic movie, Cas ejaculating finally on the surface on his tongue.

            If Dean wasn't dirty before. He definitely was now, he thought then, surprising himself and swallowing. Cas let out one more, guttural pleasured whimper before kissing Dean on the forehead and falling back on the bed, spent and body buzzing.

            It happened so fast. Dean threw himself down next to Cas and laughed. He couldn't believe he actually did it and he couldn't believe how good it was. He lay there with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he could feel Cas moving and then, he was kissing him. Dean opened his eyes to see the other man, smiling down at him.

            It made him feel happy, he couldn't lie and so he smiled back. "You little nerd, so cute," he heard himself say because in truth, he couldn't quite control himself anymore.

            "That was very nice, Dean," he informed. He always spoke like that, in statements as if reading off his mind's observational reports.

            "Was it?" He grinned devilishly, letting himself look at Cas' face, his lips and his eyes.

            "Very much so."

            "Good." He was saying shit, empty things, could barely think. It must be all the chemicals because Cas was so pretty to him. More like beautiful.

            Castiel lifted his hand and began running the backs of his fingers against Dean's lips, back and forth, transfixed by how plush they were and Dean just stared at his face, thinking thoughts that he couldn't catch.

            He lifted his arms and wrapped them around Cas' waist. "Mmm," he moaned happily, regaining a bit of his consciousness. He playfully bit at Cas' hands, that seemed to make him laugh and so he kept doing it until he had them in his mouth.

            "That hurts, Dean," he said, still smiling.

            "I don't care," he mumbled. "They taste good."

            Cas kissed him on the tip of his nose. "I'm somewhat convinced that you're not real and that I've actually lost my mind," he said and not in the sweet, romantically figurative way, he meant every word of it.

            Suddenly, he pushed Cas on his back with a spirited little roar, anything to make him laugh and he began laying small kisses all over his face and chest. "Well, I will say Cas, your imagination has good taste. Not many people could conjure up this awesomeness."

            He laid down next him and wrapped his arms around him nice and snug. Cas did the same. It was several moments before Dean spoke up again, "Do you really just sit there and think?"

            "Is that so strange, Dean?"

            "Yeah. I can imagine you sitting in some chair and just staring at a wall like some crazy old lady at the park."

            "Well, I suppose it's like that."

            Dean sighed, "you're so weird."

            "I'm aware."

            Randomly, Dean uttered "pink cotton candy" as if it suddenly occurred to him.

            "I don't understand."

            "I was sitting here, wracking my brain about what you tasted like. Pink cotton candy. Mmmm," He said, his eyes closed.

            "Dean?"

            "Yeah?"

            "What do you do, with your life?"

            "It's crazy, you wouldn't believe me."  
            "I trust you, Dean."

            "But the question is, do I trust you?" He opened his eyes and smirked.

            "Of course, you can trust me. I'll believe whatever you say."

            Dean watched him for several moments. Cas was serious. And he was sincere. "I crisscross the country with my family, swindling idiots out of their lunch money at pool halls and checking in dirty motel rooms with fake credit cards. Oh yeah, and we hunt monsters."

            "Monsters?"

            "You know werewolves, windegos, witches, you know that kinda thing."

            Cas watched him silently.

            "Told you you wouldn't believe me."

            "I believe you."

            "Why?"

            "Well, considering how quickly you answered, along with how strange and out of the ordinary it is, I am inclined to believe you."

            "That doesn't make sense."

            "Well, if you wanted to lie Dean, you would come up with something more plausible."

            "So you believe me because it's so off the wall and unbelievable."

            "Precisely."

            Dean closed his eyes and shook his head. "You are..."

            "So weird. Yes, you've already said that."

            "Little nerd," he said adoringly. He was actually growing on him.

            "Do you save people?" he asked.

            "Yeah. I try."

            "Do you enjoy it?"

            "A lot. I'm good at it. Hey, Cas?"

            "Yes?"

            "How about we go to sleep now, hm?"

            Castiel seemed reluctant. "I don't know, Dean. You can fall asleep."

            "What's wrong? Don't trust me?"

            "It's embarrassing but I know in the morning, you'll be gone and I'll probably never see you again. I want to look at you some more, that's all."

            "Cas." He felt himself dozing off.

            "Yes, Dean?"

            "You're....so..."

            "Weird. I know."

            "Sweet," he corrected him, just before finally falling asleep.


	2. Riddles

Morning came like a truck to the head. Dean woke with a start, a panicked sort. In his dream, there was werewolf at the door and his dad kept calling his name. He jumped up, his heart racing. The room was dimly lit, the light of early morning coming in grey through the curtains. He placed his hand on his chest, from it's loud thump, thump, Dean was relieved to find that it was still there.

            It was just a dream.

            Whatever he drank last night shot through his brain. Ugh. Where was he? He looked around at the large fancy room and of course to the person next to him. The other man was lying on his stomach, the bare skin of his back exposed, his dark brown bed hair fuzzy.

            What the hell, Dean? He couldn't quite recall the details but he was surprised to find that he wasn't terribly shocked with himself. His companion, obviously sensing Dean's movements, roused. He lifted himself up by his forearms and turned a groggy face to him. "Are you okay, Dean?" he asked. Raspy voice.

            "Bad dream." He looked around the room for his clothes.

            "From what I've seen on television, this is when you freak out and go." He seemed disappointed for he only spoke at Dean for a second before facing the sheets.

            But Dean's head hurt too much and the bed was so soft. He threw himself back into the pillows, letting his body sink into the comfy of capitalism. How often would Dean ever find himself in a bed like this? The mattress alone probably cost more than his car, which of course, hurt his soul slightly but his limbs ached so much that he didn't think about it any further and contemplated sleeping despite the incoming doom of social awkwardness of seeing the random one night stand in the morning.

            He could feel the other guy watching him. Dean turned and looked back at him. His hair was so messy, a tuft of it was off to the side. He looked kinda like a cat who had been interrupted while bathing. Reading the look on Dean's face, he said in the graveling voice which Dean suddenly recalled was not a morning voice at all but the way he talked, "You don't remember me do you?"

            "What did I drink last night?"

            The other guy just looked down, not even bothering to answer.

            The longer Dean was awake, things started coming back to him. You like him, his mind said to him. Be nice. "Hey, hey," he said. "I remember." You like him _a lot_. And even though it was against his nature and he could feel his insides conflicting, Dean nevertheless moved towards him and wrapped an arm around him.

            He was so tired, he hoped that this would placate the guy and he would let Dean sleep a little longer before guilt tripping him. Luckily, he warmed up to his embrace and fell back down with Dean. He smelt really good. Like who the hell smells this good in the morning? Dean buried his face in his neck and breathed him in. "Mmm" he heard himself mumbling some compliment.

            "It's okay if you don't remember me," he said again. It wasn't one of those say one thing mean another kinda deals. The guy really wanted Dean to know that he didn't fault him.

            "Of course, I remember you." Searching the hazy of his brain he recalled him at the pool table, saying some crap about Pythagoras. Was that a dragon? No, some math dude. Dean said, "Baby genius." He looked up. Blue eyes. Pretty face bones. "Little nerd." And then an image of him siting in a chair, staring at a wall. Oh yeah, "Weird."

            The other guy smiled endearingly at him. You like that. "Cotton candy? Pink cotton candy." Meira, Meira, curly haired girl. "You have a weird name...what is your name-don't answer." Money. Money. "Castiel," he let his head fall back down onto Cas' chest. There was a weird taste in Dean's mouth, was it guilt? You're overthinking it; it's probably liquor and semen.

            Man, how did you get like this, Dean?

            Dad and his werewolves. Fucking bastard couldn't just be a mechanic.

            "I bet you don't remember me, Cas," he mumbled into his chest.

            "Dean. You hunt monsters."

            He shot up at that. "What the hell? I told you that?! What else did I say?" That woke him up.

            "That you save people-"

            "Anything else?"

            Cas shook his head, a bit taken a back but the dude was practically half vulcan. He displayed very little emotion. You called him that last night, didn't you? He couldn't really hide the fear though. He was afraid of you. "Shit," Dean said at last.

            "Don't worry, Dean," little face tilt. "I won't tell anyone."

            Weird ass mannerisms. You hate that. Cas looked up at him, awkward but innocently. Scratch that. You like it.

            The phone beside the bed rang. It felt like an electric bell screaming madly in his skull. Cas picked it up. It was Meira, he just knew it. "Yes, he's here. She wants to talk to you Dean, something about your brother."

            Dean snatched the phone from his hand. "Morning," she said on the other side.

            "What's wrong with my brother?"

            "Nothing. Chill. Just that he's here with me. The bar closed at 5, for some reason I was expecting you there but it's no matter. We're at my apartment. He came back and played some PlayStation with us so don't worry. He's fine. I'm looking at him right now. He's eating cereal. He looks like a sad chocolate lab. I take it, he's worried about you too."

            "I'm fine."

            Meira told Sam that he was fine, he could hear him chomping and asking about Cas. "How is Cas?" she asked.

            "He's good."

            She told him her address and said when he got there, she'd give him the rest of the money. Did you go through with it? Yes. Okay, you'll get the money and your brother. She said all this as if it were some reverse ransom thing. She even attempted to sound like a kidnapper.

            Cas watched him with a confused little face. Dean thought he was going to be sick. He knew that the phone conversation was practically over and once he'd hung up, the others would be expecting him, but he knew too that he'd likely never see Cas again and for some reason, that bothered him. "Um, tell Sam to take a nap or something. I'm still pretty tired and want a couple more hours."

            She reported the news to his brother. He heard him in the distance, say "What?" all shocked, his little Sammy feathers ruffled. According to his experience, Dean should be running out the door by now.

            "He wants to talk to you," Meira said but Dean gave the phone to Cas and told him to hang up.

            "Is everything okay, Dean?"

            "Yeah, everything is fine. She just wanted me to know that Sammy is at her place."

            "I'll get in the shower and let you sleep," he reported.

            "Hey, no. I mean, I'm not-I am." Why can't you talk? "I'm tired but I don't want to sleep. Don't shower or whatever you're doing. Come here." What are you doing, Dean? What the hell did you drink last night?

            Cas obeyed, scooting so as to be so close to Dean the tips of their noses were touching. Dean looked at his face for a bit before kissing him. "You okay?" he asked him, his mouth still against his.

            "Yes," he answered. Little weird guy. Might as well have said "affirmative."

            Pink cotton candy. Melts hot in your mouth. Sex feels warmer in the morning, like a secret almost, wetter, and slower in the dim light of 6 A.M. or whatever A.M. They did it with their chests as close as possible, every time Dean rocked himself inside of him, he could feel the scruff rub against his cheek. Cas wrapped his arms around Dean and cradled his head in his hand. They kissed during most of it. Cas' body was so hot, he thought he should move away from him but he couldn't bring himself to stop. Even after he came, he laid there against him not bothering to throw the blankets off, not bothering to wipe the semen off his stomach. Just laying there and breathing in the sleep from the crook of Cas' neck and wondering if he had lost his mind.

 

***

 

            Meira began washing the tower of dishes in her sink, humming happily away. Sam watched her from the corner of his eye suspiciously. The others had all passed out. Chase on the floor, Brad in the La-Z-Boy, and Jenny with some random girl entangled on the couch. Naturally, Sammy didn't sleep. He was used to pulling all-nighters but even he felt that if given the opportunity, he would knock out in a matter of seconds but here was Meira, cheerily cleaning as if she had all the energy in the world.

            "What's wrong with you?"

            "Nothing. Why should there be something wrong with me?"

            "Because you're acting like a Stepford wife on meth, that's why."

            She had to see his point. She turned the faucet off and turned to him, screwing her mouth in a tight knot and thinking. "Nerves, probably."

            "I take it you don't regularly buy male prostitutes for your friends," he said somewhat self-righteously.  

            "No, not regularly or ever for that matter. I just hope your idiot of a brother doesn't let Cas know that I paid him."

            "You have to know that's wrong."

            "Why is it wrong?" She acted offended but he could tell that there was germ of a thought in her that what he was saying was true.

            "Because now Cas believes that Dean likes him when he doesn't."

            "Well, you and Dean aren't from around here, right?"

            "You don't know that."

            She stared at him for several moments. "You don't the fit paid grade," she said simply.

            Sam rolled his eyes. "So what? We leave town and then that's it?"

            "That's it. And Dean is just a nice memory. And besides, he's really only like a stepping stone."

            "Stepping stone?"

            "Yeah, so Cas has more confidence to put himself out there. You've seen him, Sam and I know your not one of those 'I'm not gay so I can't tell if he's good looking' types." Her impersonation of a guy's voice was more like a caveman's.

            "And if he finds out?"

            "He won't. Of course, unless your brother says something."

            Sam sighed and thought about it, he had to admit that it was unlikely. "Me and my brother do a lot of lying in our line of work, I doubt he would do that. He's not as stupid as he seems."

            Meira turned back to her dishes. "Now that's going to need a lot of convincing." A minute passed before a thought occurred to her, "What do you guys do for a living?"

            Sam just stared at her, leaning against the counter minimized the difference in height between them but not enough for them to see eye to eye. "You don't want to know."

 

***

 

            It was the thought of his dad that gave Dean the energy to bound up suddenly from the bed and frantically get dressed. Cas who had dozed off into a half sleep slipped out from beneath the sheets and began to put his clothes on himself, all the while watching Dean.

            "I'm sorry but I gotta go and get my brother. It's nothing personal, really. I have to..." What bail your dad out of jail? But you're still a couple grand short. Dammit. Dammit. You should have asked her for more money but Meira was a prickly bitch and she seemed tightfisted, at least after she found out that she didn't care much for Dean.

            "You don't have to explain yourself, Dean," Cas said somewhat sadly.

            "No, um. I have to pick up my dad. He's probably waiting for me right now. Cas, can I ask you a favor?" God this was painful.

            "Of course, Dean." Even after last night, Cas seemed so innocent.

            "I need to borrow three grand?"

            "Borrow?"

            "I'll pay you back, promise." He forced a cute smile.

            Cas tilted his head and smiled slightly himself, much to Dean's relief. "Money is nothing." He reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet and removed the cash and handed it to Dean. "I hope your father isn't in too much trouble."

            Looking at the denominations on that stack made Dean almost feel like he was about to lose his footing. "Whoa Cas, there are way too many Franklins and Grants here. I don't need all this."

            "Take what you need," Cas simply said. Dean removed only three grand to his great surprise. He knew himself, he should have shoved the whole thing in his pocket and gone out to celebrate but he felt like he was using the guy. "It feels almost like I paid you to sleep with me," Cas remarked with a slight laugh.

            Dean prayed his face didn't betray him. "Funny," he tried to laugh too. "That's just-silly." Okay, you should stop talking right about now.

            Good thing Cas was too socially awkward to notice. He instead rewrote Meira's address on the hotel stationary and handed it to him. "I'm assuming you don't recall."

            "Thanks," he took the paper. And then they were walking towards the door, both trying to act like it was no big deal. Dean stopped and turned to him. "Um, it was nice, baby genius." He gave him a thin smile, all the while taking a good look at his face, feeling that it would be the last time he'd see him. Why did he feel so sad?

            "It was. Dean, goodbye."

            "Goodbye."

            When he finally got the Impala back and hit the road, he blared the radio up real loud, it was a song he didn't even care for but he drummed along hoping that the noise would distract his thoughts but when it ended and he found himself at a red light, he turned to look out the window, and stared without focus at a gas station and said to himself, "Shoulda kissed him goodbye." But that might have made it harder to leave.

            He hoped that tomorrow, he could forget that this had even happened.

            Sam opened the door when Dean arrived. He greeted his older brother with his trademark bitch face. He didn't bother to say anything and instead, pushed passed him to find Meira. He was all business now.

            She was in the kitchen wiping down her motley brown and beige counters with an old rag. It was one of those open concept apartments and if you spoke too loud, the pack of kids sleeping on the couches and the floors might wake. Luckily they had drunk their livers to death the night before and were in the land of Nod. It looked like an opium den had set up shop.

            "Well?" She merely said to him.

            "What do you mean, well. I told you over the phone. It's done deal."

            Sammy had followed him and took his spot, leaning against the counter top, his tall, lean body just barely fitting in the space. "I can't believe this, Dean," he shook his head back and forth.

            "Whatever. Dad's getting out of that joint because I did this," he spoke to him in his militaristic drill Sargent voice. He was in a worse mood than he had imagined.

            "Hey Dean, relax. No one made you sell your body. You can't believe dad would even want you to."

            "Well, he may say he disapproved but once he walks out of that jail cell and we can go back to doing what we do, he'd be happy with me, ok?"

            Meira watched them argue, eyes wide, drinking in all the drama with unconcealed pleasure. "Jail? Your dad is in jail that's why you need the money. Ha! Figures."

            "Hey," Sam narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't know the situation."

            "Well, it's done," Dean turned towards Meira. "Time to pay the piper."

            She looked at him at him up and down with condescending disgust and Dean just stared back, his face blank. "Let me go get my purse."

            It was quiet for several seconds. Sam changing his tone said softly, "Was it really that bad, Dean?"

            He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew how it would seem to his little brother, that it was traumatizing and repulsive when in fact it couldn't have been farther from the truth. "Don't ever mention it to me again," he said.

            Meira returned and counted out the cash and handed it to Dean. He knew it was all there but he recounted it nevertheless. Sam scribbled down their numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to her. "If something weird or dangerous happens, give us a call."

            Dean gave him a look like what the fuck. Meira took it even though she had no idea what it was all about. As soon as they left, he asked him about it.

            "I think it's important to set up a network in case, something strange happens." But that wasn't all of it. "Beside, I have a feeling this little ruse is going to fall through."

            They climbed into the Impala. "And if it does, why would that be our problem."

            "I don't know maybe so he can call you and apologize or something."

            They began driving. "He has nothing to apologize for."

            "If I were him, I might want to call and apologize."

            "Well, you are freak and we've already established that."

            "And Cas struck you as completely normal?"

            The sound of his name created a strange pain in Dean's chest. "I told you not to mention it so stop."

            "Fine," Sam gazed out the window. "What are we going to do about the rest of the money?"

            Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out the rest, throwing it on Sammy's lap. He might have thrown a live fish on him for he jumped in his seat. Realizing what it was, he picked it up and began to count.

            "Where did you get this Dean?"

            He glanced at him. He didn't want to hear it but he knew Sammy was going to press and so he told him. "Cas gave it to me."

            "You took his money?!" Sam gaped at him. Dean felt like he had hit a new low but he didn't want to show it. "How could do that, Dean?"

            "We need it. I had to ask. Besides, you should see the hotel this guy lives in. Sam, he _lives_ in a five star hotel like a goddamn rock star. This is like nothing to him. He was going to give me more."

            Sam rubbed at his face. "None of this would have happened if dad wasn't..." he mumbled the rest, all the while shaking his face back and forth.

            "If dad wasn't what, Sam? Saving people from a freakin man eating werewolf, yeah ok?" He hit the steering wheel in his anger.

            "Dean, you don't get it, do you? It's not your job to clean up his messes. Look, I agree he doesn't belong in there but there are other hunters and they might be able to pull some strings, I don't know but don't you think this is bit much, Dean?"

            "It was one night. It's over and how many times do I have to tell you stop talking about it."

            "Well I'm not because if you had to do something so traumatizing to get dad out then I think that's something worth talking about, don't you think?"

            "I'm not traumatized. It's no big deal."

            "Well, you're not acting like it's no big deal. I know you, Dean. You're upset and however much you didn't like that guy and what you felt you had to do with him, you have to know that he didn't deserve to be lied to and led to believe that you actually wanted him. And then on top of that, you took his money."

            "He's fucking drowning in money!"  
            "That doesn't matter, Dean! Just because he's rich and gay, doesn't mean you can manipulate him!"

            Dean pulled the impala over and glared at his brother. "You weren't there. You don't know what the hell you're talking about. He was happy and it happened, ok? He didn't care about the cash. It's done and over with. I'll never see him again and if you mention this to dad, I will kill you. Do you understand?"

            Sam stared at him, still upset and angry-mostly at dad but realizing there was no point in arguing anymore, he merely kept his mouth shut and gazed out the window all the way to jail.

 

***

 

            "Boys," John said, hugging them both tightly. The cop on duty had even called him "sir" just before he left. He had comported himself with dignity in that cell, and everyone, even those who believed he had killed a man, respected him and deep down assumed that he had good reason. What that reason was, they didn't know, they were running on faith.

            "Dad," Dean beamed. Sam hated it when Dean spoke to him in that voice, higher than his normal one and sounding like a puppy begging to be pet. Sam just let his dad hug him, leaving his hands jammed into his old brown hoody, thinking John Winchester a fool and holding him without question, at fault. In his mind, he knew that the situation was complicated but in the same way, he felt that his father needed to fall for something, the way Capone had to go to jail for tax corruption and not murder.

            "Good thing you came up with the cash as fast as you did," he crawled into the driver's seat of the impala. Dean took the back seat. "They were planning on moving me to maximum security tomorrow morning. How did you guys come up with the cash that fast?"

            "I pickpocketed some lawyer," Dean lied. It was like he had it on automatic. He refused to return Sam's look.

            "Well, I can't say I'm disappointed." They took to the road quickly.

            "Where are we going now?" Sam asked.

            "We have to finish the case, son."

            "Dad, no," Dean protested. "You just got out, they're not just going to let you go free. We have to go."

            "Yes, I know Dean," he looked at him through the rearview. "I'm leaving. I'm heading up to Bobby's. I'm leaving the car with you two and you and your brother will kill the rest of the pack."

            "Are you sure about this, dad?" Sam couldn't say he completely disagreed with him but he knew how Dean was going to feel about it. He wouldn't want to split up.

            "I'm sure, Sam. We can't just let these monsters kill people when we can stop it."

            "Aren't there other hunters?"

            "We start a job, son and we finish it," he said with finality, pulling into a used car lot.

            "Yes, sir," Dean merely sighed.

            John didn't speak about Dean's disappointment. Sam sensed that he was growing tired of his emotional neediness and just wanted to keep moving. Sam was the one who liked art and so called girly music but he had the vague sense that John thought him manlier than Dean despite all his attempts to appear masculine. Dean after all as the one who made them food when they hadn't eaten, he made sure Sam drank orange juice when he got sick, he was good with kids, and then of course, there was the constant need for attention and for praise, for the emotional feedback to prove to him, it was all worth it. He would run into a den of vampires just for a pat on the back and a 'good job.'

            It was sad. It made Sam want to vomit, not so much out of disgust but because it made him so nervous.

            One time when Dean suggested they make a thanksgiving dinner in the kitchenette of some random motel, John had simply said while he cleaned his gun, "Enough with the nesting, Dean."

            Dean didn't say anything but grabbed a beer and put on the Cowboys game, only speaking to say how hot the cheerleaders were. Yeah, Sam could only imagine what he'd say if he'd known that Dean had prostituted himself to a man to get him out of jail.

            John asked for one of the fake credit cards and Dean gave it to him. He had shoved the piece of paper with Meira's address on it in his wallet and he pulled it out then, looking at it as John left the impala to go make a fake down payment on a used car. Sam stayed where he was and stared at the road, seething and not knowing why.

            Dean was staring at it long enough for Sam to look at it. "What's that?" he asked knowing already what it was but not completely understanding.

            "Huh?" Dean looked up. "Oh, it's just that chick's address."

            "That doesn't look like your writing."

            "It isn't," he said and folded it up and put it in his wallet again. Sam wanted to ask him why he was keeping it but decided against it. His brother was acting strange.

            John came back and told them they were getting the papers ready. He went through the details of the case with them. There was a pack of young werewolves, most of which were freshly made and probably students from the university. The key to the rest of the pack rested on the wolf that he had killed and got arrested for. The pack was close, find out how they are connected, and finish the rest of them off. There were "yes, sirs" all around and John went back into the dealership to finalize the sale.

            Dean and Sam sat there quietly. A shadow hovered over Dean. It bothered Sam and it bothered him worse that he couldn't talk to him about it. John popped the trunk and began removing his things.

            It was a quiet and chilly morning.

            "This sucks," Sam said and Dean with his silence, agreed.

           

***

 

            "Well, details!" Meira demanded.

            No sooner had the words escaped her mouth than Jenny said with equal enthusiasm "Please no details!"

            It was just the two girls lounging about Meira's apartment. The rest of the gang had family functions to attend, brunches, and shopping trips. Cas himself had canceled with his own family, preferring to recline in this old, comfortable chair whose shape and stale smell had become so familiar to him.

            He felt barren for some reason, not in the reproductive sense but as if his soul itself was like a stretch of desert. Or was it a big pit? He didn't want to remark on it. He knew that this sort of attachment is to be expected when one engages in intercourse for the first time. It was embarrassing so he just kept quiet.

            "Come on, Cas!" Meira was eager and all too excited.

            "It was nice," he said, trying to appease her.

            "Dude, she isn't going to stop pestering so you might as well give us the play by play."

            He knew Jenny was right. "I'm not sure what you want me to say."

            "Start at the beginning," Meira suggested.

            "We drove to my hotel and there we had sex. That was it."

            Jenny scoffed, throwing her little blonde head back and laughing. She had thrown her leg up over the back of the couch. "You're gonna have to go all Barbara Walters on him if you want any real details," she said to Meira.

            "Did you talk at all at first?"

            "A little. He was impressed with the room and he drank a bit."

            Meira tugged at a strand of her long black hair and appeared to grind her teeth. "Was he nice?"

            "Nice enough," Jenny retorted.

            "He was very nice."

            "Told ya," Jenny threw a pillow at Meira who promptly caught it. Meira after all was a catcher on her softball team in high school.

            "I'm not sure what sort of details you want, Meira."

            Jenny rolled on her belly and looked at him. "How was he in bed? I know you can describe things, Cas. You once spent twenty minutes detailing to our professor your theory on geometrical equations in Islamic art right in the middle of his lecture."

            "With all due respect, that is a far more complicated subject-"

            "Oh! Piss to that! This is your first time, Cas and hey, I'm an intellectual too but if you think sex ain't complicated, you're lying to yourself, kitten!"

            Cas took a deep breath. "Well, he was very sweet and very gentle."

            "Sweet?" Meira asked somewhat incredulously.

            "Yes. He told me we could go as fast as I'd like. He kept asking for permission to do things and..." Cas searched his mind for words to describe Dean but he was at a loss, he couldn't quite get a grasp on the story, the details themselves like colors, incapable of description themselves. "He smiled a lot and he tried to make me laugh."

            "Really?" Why was this all so surprising to her?

            "How?" Jenny inquired. "How did he make you laugh?"

            "He played around."

            "How?" she pressed.

            "Bit at my fingers, tossed me around. I don't know."

            "Sounds like a wild dog tried to attack you," Jenny laughed.

            "It wasn't like that."

            "I'm kidding! I get it. He was being silly to get you to smile. I do it all the time to my girls." By her girls, she meant her horde of lovers.

            "So you're happy with it?" Meira asked. She knew that she wasn't going to get all the juicy bits. "Cause you seem, I don't know. Down?"

            He was acting down, wasn't he? "The truth is, Meira," he said with a sigh. "I miss him."

            "Uh-Oh," Jenny said and stared at the other girl. "Don't catch feelings!"         

            "You're just overthinking it, Cas! Besides, he may have been sweet in bed and hot as all hell but, to be honest, he's sorta...I don't know, dumb?"

            Cas glared at her from the corner of his eyes. "I believe you're making assumptions."

            "Well, I think you need to take your own advice, Cas. You just had sex with the guy that doesn't mean he's prince charming or anything. Take it from me, men aren't what they seem. In the bedroom, you're the love of their life and then the next minute, they can't even remember your name."

            "You may have forgotten, Meira but I'm a man as well."

            "You don't count," Jenny interjected.

            "And why is that?"

            "Because you're just different, Cas. I'm not saying you're a chick. You're just, different."

            Meira gave him a look that said she agreed.

            But it was useless. For the rest of the day, all he could do was sulk. He couldn't get Dean out of his mind, couldn't stop seeing his smiling face, couldn't stop hearing his voice with it's weird inflection that sounded almost southern but not quite, or the way expressions came to life on his face with such ease. And his arms and the way he mumbled into Cas' neck, the bass of his voice sending waves down his skin.

            He missed him so much; he'd thought his insides were falling in on themselves. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, if he knew he'd see him again but he was long gone in that car of his, him and his leather jacket too big for him and that smile he gave so freely.

            The girls were debating _Wuthering Heights_ when Cas got up and vomited in Meira's toilet. He hadn't expected it and neither had they. Both of them stood in the doorway staring at him. Cas shaken, surprised by the intensity of his feelings.

            Jenny turned to Meira and trying to make light of the situation said, "What are the chances he's pregnant?"

 

***

 

            They've been on the case for a week now. Dad had called to tell them that he had reached Bobby's and that Bobby had said hi.

            All the while, Dean drank like a fish and his fun loving manner had faded into blank, empty stares at nothing. He always had a drink in his hand and he hardly slept. Sam was analyzing their work, following the strings of yarn from clue to clue. Dean was watching television, flipping through the channels, and landing temporarily on some soap opera.

            On the screen, a man had grabbed a woman by her shoulders and she threw her head back dramatically just so the audience could see what a great job her hairdresser had done. "Don't you get it Annalise Rose?!" he said, his chiseled jaw almost cutting her face.

            "No! I don't! Unhand me you handsome beast!" She rejoined, pursing out her lips.

            Dean watched it all with narrow eyes, remote poised in the air. What he was watching for, Sam didn't bother to ask.

            "Ever since I kissed you, I can't stop thinking about you! Don't you get it," he shook her somewhat violently. Dean sneered.

            "Gareth!" she shrieked.

            "I love you!" He screamed.

            "Do you give shaking baby syndrome to all your girlfriends?" Dean scoffed and turned the television off with a violent push of the button. "Man, I'm thirsty," he said, getting to his feet.

            "Dude, its 10 in the morning." But Sam knew it was useless. It was like Dean was preparing for an alcoholic marathon.

            "Who the hell names their kid Annalise Rose?" He popped off the bottle cap and sat down on the tiny dining room table and stared at their work, pretending to be engaged. "Freaking rich people," he mumbled. "Like Castiel. Who names their kid Castiel? It's like they want their kid to grow up weird."

            Sam was surprised to hear him say his name. He furrowed his brow and looked at his brother. "Well, without any more leads, I'm not so sure if we'll be able to find the pack. We've checked out all of McAvoy's connections and I can't find anything suspicious." McAvoy was the guy their dad iced. He was a 45 year old junior professor at the University. He taught ancient religions.   
            "FYI," Dean said. "This is the last beer. We should probably get more."

            "I'll go with you. I could use the fresh air."

            They went to a different Gas n' Sip because the people at the old one had started making remarks at them and making them realize how sad their lives were. This one was bigger and Dean acted like they moved a notch up because their icee machine had one more flavor than the other one. "Suck it, lame Gas n' Sip."

            It was a bit nicer, Sam had to admit. There was more variety of radioactive microwavable food to choose from. Sam tried to find the healthiest stuff and throw it into his little cart. Dean grabbed beer, naturally and was busy staring at one of the many shelves of junk food when Sam approached him. He followed Dean's eyes to bag of carnival style cotton candy, there were four kinds; blue, yellow, green and pink. They all unnervingly had creepy clowns on them that stared back at you with blank homicidal eyes. It made Sam want to shiver. Dean seemed to be looking at the pink one. "Just get it," Sam said, grabbing it and throwing it in the cart. "What are you on a diet all of sudden?"

            While the bored teenager rang them up, his dead eyes reading off the prices, Sam's cell phone rang. He didn't recognize the number but he answered it anyway. "Hello?"    

            It was Meira. "Ok, so a couple things."

            "Meira?"

            Dean looked up at him immediately. "Money Meira?" he mouthed.

            "For one, there was a vigil for one of Cas' professors, McAvoy and some chick there said his murderer was bailed out and then skipped town and this happened about a week ago. Sounded kinda weird, so I googled it and it was some guy named John Presley. Not for nothing, but you and that brother of yours look a bit like him and you know the days fit so here I am thinking that I just gave money to bail out a freaking murderer. Did I or did I not?"

            "Okay, Meira, slow down. I can explain."

            Dean paid the cashier all the while looking at Sam like he wanted to snatch the phone from him.

            "Well explain because I'm about to have a damn panic attack." Sam realized that if he didn't talk her out of this, she might go to the cops and then they would have no choice but to skip town. Then a thought occurred to him, this might give them an in into this case, one that they so desperately needed. Maybe the rest of the pack was at the vigil. It wasn't publically announced or else Sam would have known about it so it had to be people close to McAvoy.

            "Okay, me and Dean are heading to your place now."

            "We're doing what?!" Dean asked as soon as Sam had hung up.

            "Listen, she's freakin genius, ok Dean? She put two and two together and figured out who it was we bailed out with the money. Not to mention, she found it all by attending a private vigil for McAvoy."

            "She knows him?" They were in the impala now. Dean was driving in the right direction.

            "Apparently, he's one of Cas' professors. And if we don't talk to her, she might go to the cops and blow the case."

            "Dammit..."

            "But look, we may be able to spin this."

            "Spin this?"

            "Yeah, she has in. Well, technically..." he didn't want to say it. But it was really Cas who had the in.

            Dean didn't fight much to Sam's surprise. "Yeah, I get it. Let's go."

            "That doesn't bother you?"

            He shook his head but didn't meet his brother's gaze. "No" was all his said.

           

 

***

 

Meira was pacing back and forth and biting her nails down to the quick. "You are actually telling me that McAvoy was a werewolf?! And your dad killed him! You do realize that you guys are going to have to kill me now because I am obligated to go to the cops with this information!"

            "Meira, there must be some reason you're even telling us that. I know you're smart, you wouldn't just let us know you were going to go to the cops. You believe us," Sam reasoned.

            She rubbed her eyes violently. "Okay, so let me get this straight, you guys and your dad hunt monsters."

            "How many times do we have to say it?" Dean groaned, he was reclining in that old La-Z-Boy, eating his cotton candy.

            "Meredith Waters? Angela Martinez? Jamal Preston? You know about their murders, right? They were students at your school."

            She looked at him uneasily, knowing where he was going with this. "But those were animal attacks," she protested.

            "Why do they always think it's an animal?" Dean spoke with a fluffy pink puff in his mouth. "Bears get a bad rap, man. Poor bears, just wanna stop forest fires."

            "Please try to be serious, Dean," Sam chastised.

            He shrugged. "I just don't get it. Subparticule blah blah here, wants me to believe that you can't know where an electron is and know how fast it's going at the same time but a bear marched up five stories, busted in some girl's dorm and decided to only eat her freakin heart? I mean come on, at least go with some Hellraiser college fan club."

           Sam rolled his eyes. Dean and Meira didn't exactly get along and he was going to hold whatever he could over her head.

            "You're right, Dean," she admitted-shockingly.

            "I am?" He almost dropped his creepy clown bag.

            "It doesn't make sense but werewolves don't make sense. I mean, that's CRAZY!"

            "A ten thousand dollar bottle of liquor is crazy! Donald Trump is crazy! Hey, the fact that anyone would sit through a 4 hour lecture on how a little statuettes big ass titties make her a itty bitty big titty fertility goddess is freakin' crazy! Werewolves aren't crazy."

            Sam stared at Meira. After gaping at Dean for several seconds, she dragged her eyes to Sam. "He gets like this," he said with an exhausted shake of his head.

            "You're freakin' crazy," she said at last.

            "It's been said."

            "Alright, let's say I believe you then what?"

            "Will you help us?" Sam asked.

            "Well, you're still here because you believe there are more werewolves out there and Jamal died only two days ago and McAvoy couldn't have done it, so yeah, I guess since I know now, I have to help, right? Besides, it's not like you guys even knew McAvoy."

            Dean was shocked. "You actually want to help us."

            "Why do you assume because I don't like your stupid ass that that makes me a bitch?"  
            "I don't know. Maybe because you act like one."

            "You really do wear the haughty whore role well, Dean."

            "Well speaking of that," Sam interrupted. "Sorry," he said to his brother. "But, um, you said it was Cas who was his student, right?"

            Meira closed her eyes and let out a groan. "Yeah, he was working on his dissertation with McAvoy and another professor. He's actually supposed to be covering his summer lectures until they can fly someone in from Oxford. Not to mention, Cas is even giving a presentation that McAvoy was supposed to do this morning. He probably just finished too," she said with a look at her watch. "So yeah, he knew him."

            "Did Cas seem like a werewolf to you, Dean?" Sam asked.

            "Shut up," he said with more spite than he ought.

            "You want to get Cas involved in this?" Meira was of course, reluctant. "No. I mean how are we supposed to tell him? And what if he finds out that I paid Dean to sleep with him? Cas will never talk to me again. No, it's not happening."

            "Don't you think this is more important?" Sam argued.

            "Well, it might be a bit distracting when the poor guy who has literally been pining over Mr. Good Looking over here for the last week, sees him, thinks that his sweet little Dean, 'I'll take care of you,' fuck me in the morning, Dean comes back, says your thesis mentor is a werewolf and oh, just forgot, he's not gay and totally rejects your advances," she was livid. "No. I'm not dealing with the shock and the heartbreak and him laying in bed eating nothing but garbage and drinking himself to death. Nope. Not happening. Eat your own heart out, werewolf victims. I love my Cas too much. "

            That was a lot. Sam looked at Dean.

            "He told you all that?" Dean asked her.

            "What? That you told him you'd take care of him, yeah. It took me hours of asking but yeah, he eventually told me."

            "The morning thing too?"

            Sam didn't know what to think about that.

            "Yeah."

            "What else?"

            "I don't know. Why? Is there something else?"

            "No."

            "Are you sure?"

            "Stop, guys, please," Sam begged. "There has to be a way around this."

            "Ten grand," Dean suddenly said.

            "What?" Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing.

            "A day?" she asked.

            "Can you swing that?"

            "Yeah. Will you act like you love him?"

            "For ten grand a day, I can love just about anything."

            Meira smiled evilly at him. "Deal."

            "Deal."

            It took a matter of twenty seconds. And now, they were on good terms with one another. Sam felt like he got hit in the gut with a baseball bat but he couldn't necessarily complain. They worked it out.

            She gave Cas a call and told him that she needed to see him a.s.a.p. Once she was off the phone, Sam told the pair that there was a special place in Hell for the both of them.

            Cas assuming that his friend was in danger made short time. He knocked on her door in a panic 15 minutes later. Dean appeared to become nervous and straightened up but then deciding something else entirely, rose to his feet, asked Meira to give him a moment and hid behind the door.

            Why did he have to make a game of it?

            Meira opened it and Cas, not waiting, pushed past her. "Are you ok? I came as soon as I could." It had been raining outside. He wore a beige trench coat, slightly damp around the shoulders over a suit and a blue tie.

            "I'm okay. Don't worry."

            He immediately noticed Sam's presence. He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head but before he could say anything, Dean had snuck up behind him and placed his hand over his mouth. Cas' big eyes widened in surprised.

            "Hey," Dean said in his ear. Cas pulled his arm off of him and turned around. Dean was waiting with a wide smile, which looked to Sam as rather sincere.

            "Dean," Cas said with such feeling that it was almost unnerving.

            "Cas."

            "Dean."

            "Cas."

            Sam looked at Meira, both wondering how many times they were going to say each other's names and with different intonations every time as if they were secretly communicating things.

            "Miss me?" Dean rubbed Cas' cheek, admiring how smooth it was.

            "Inordinately so."

            "Shaved I see."

            "I had to present today, hence the suit," he lifted up the lapels of his coat to show him.

            "You look like a tax accountant or a traveling salesman." And with a wink he added, "I'm totally buying what you're selling."

            Cas smiled and tilted his head in agreement. "Yes, I do." And then after a moment of looking at Dean's warm and smiling face, he said, "You're more handsome than I remember."

            "Should've took a picture," Dean replied. Sam was certain his brother was happy to see him. He was no longer the grumpy, bitter drunk bickering about soap operas.

            "It wouldn't do you any justice, I'm sure."

            "Okay, I just ate," Sam interjected. He couldn't take it anymore.

            "My apologies," Cas said turning to him. "You're very handsome, as well, Sam."

            "That's not necessary, Cas. Thank you but there's actually a reason why we're here."

            "Of course," he stood there patiently waiting for Sam to explain.

            "They think McAvoy is werewolf," Meira blurted out.

            Sam turned to glare at her. "You could have prepped him first."

            "How am I exactly supposed to do that? Is there like some conversation lube you use?"

            Cas had very little reaction. "It's ok, Sam," he said calmly.

            "It is?"

            "Yes, your brother told me that you hunt monsters."

            Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing. He gave Dean a look like he was about to kill him. "You told him?! You told him that we hunt monsters?! What else did you tell him, Dean?!"

            Before Dean could defend himself, Cas said, "In all fairness, he was very drunk."

            "Do you do that a lot, Dean?! Hm?! Tell your one-night stands, in drunken induced lust that you hunt werewolves? And vampires? And ghouls? I'm sure that makes for great foreplay."

            "Hold up, Sam," Dean replied. "No, I don't do that, ok? And I wasn't that drunk. Look, I don't know why I told him. I just did, alright?" he shrugged. "I don't know. He's easy talk to."

            "He's easy talk to? Right," Sam sighed deeply.

            "Well, I suppose the matter is null and void considering I may be of assistance now," Cas reasoned.

            "See, Sam, null and void," Dean repeated as if rubbing it in. He draped an arm around Cas' shoulder.

            "How are you not surprised that McAvoy was a werewolf?" Sam inquired.

            "Well, McAvoy made passes at several undergrads, two in particular."

            "So you thought he could be a monster? Kinda extreme, don't you think?"

            "Meredith and Angela?" Dean asked.

            "Yes," Cas confirmed and Dean gave Sam a look like he just got the gold star sticker and Sam didn't. "Both of those young women were very good students. I graded their final papers myself," Cas continued. "On two separate occasions, they approached me because he had given them B's when they knew they deserved better marks. They told me that they believed it was because they had rejected his advances. I asked McAvoy about it and he said that the opposite was true, that they tried to exchange sexual favors for better grades but he had turned them down."

            "Which wasn't true?" Sam could see where he was going with this.

            "No. Like I said, they were both deserving of high marks. Then when their bodies were found, I called the police station and told them, figuring that this was a possible connection between these two women. They noted it but once he was found dead, I am assuming they didn't pursue it any further. "

            "You were willing to rat on this guy? I thought you were close?" Dean asked.

            "No, we weren't. He was my advisor but I didn't particularly care for him."

            "McAvoy knew Cas was smarter than him," Meira added.

            "Yeah, not all of us can be a baby genius," Dean said with a smile, all the while squeezing Cas closer.

            Cas smiled himself, overjoyed with his affection. "I know him because I had to work with him." He lifted his hand and placed it on Dean's, asking suddenly, "Do you think McAvoy was always a werewolf? "

            "I think McAvoy was bit," Sam explained. "You would have noticed a change in behavior, happier even, more confident."

            Cas nodded. "Yes, he was always very strange around women, I would say even perverse but he never did or said anything, at least nothing that I am aware of, not until Meredith and Angela."

            Cas was like the perfect witness; he answered everything matter-of-factly and as truthfully as possible. Sam then explained that they thought there were more werewolves and that Jamal had been another victim. "Do you know of anyone that McAvoy knew that could be a werewolf as well? Maybe a close friend or partner that he'd turn?"

            Cas thought about it and shook his head. "If your theory is that McAvoy is the werewolf that changed others, then any close friends or colleagues are unlikely."

            "Why is that?"

            "McAvoy was a very competitive and jealous person. If he bit others out of spite, then he would have attacked me considering it is likely that he hated me. If he bit for companionship, he would have targeted younger women, people I generally wouldn't be acquainted with."

            "Why would you say that?"

            "Cause he was a creepy old pervert, that's why, Sammy," Dean replied as if it were obvious.

            "Precisely."

            "Eww," Meira made a puking sound. "Gross. I need some coffee. I'm going to go make some," she tried to shake the whole thing off.

            "What if McAvoy wasn't the one changing others..." Sam mused.          

            "Well, if it is worth anything, he started acting weird about a month ago."

            "Anything important happen then?"

            Cas thought about it and answered, "He had presentation in Norway on the theme of metamorphosis in ancient religions," as if it were a great revelation.

            "Why is that so big of a deal?" Dean asked.

            Cas looked at him. Sam was unnerved about how deeply the two gazed at one another other. His brother's own eyes going soft. "Metamorphosis, Dean, is the process by which a thing changes its physical shape. For example, when one goes from a man to a wolf."

            "What it called when you go from cute to cute?" Dean asked with a flirty smile. Sam was beginning to believe that he enjoyed this.

            "Technically, stagnation," Cas answered.

            Dean laughed, all the while looking at Cas like he was the funniest little thing. But despite Cas' apparent Asperger’s, he wasn't as naive as he seemed and added, "Of course, Dean. I suppose you would be a good example."

            Meira had come back with a tray full of coffee cups. Sam plucked one immediately and said to her, "Please tell me you made this Irish."

           

***

 

            They started their search by downloading McAvoy's class lists from the last couple semesters and highlighting the names of the girls, the next step was to search for any connection between Jamal and McAvoy, Cas of course said that there wasn't any but admitted that it was worth looking into. It felt like looking for a needle in a haystack as the saying goes, the class sizes were in the hundreds, over half of them girls.

            "We're going to need something better than this," Sam said with a sigh. He had been working on Meira's computer.

            "What if we hack into McAvoy's computer?" she suggested, throwing a stack of papers with lists of names down on the counter.

            "What would be looking for exactly?" Dean asked. He was sitting on the couch next to Cas, shifting through the names all the while Cas made remarks about the students.

            "Clues?" Sam suggested.

            "Emails," Cas said. "If we're looking for girls he may have been interested in, it is possible they filed complaints with the university. Maybe an official would send an email or maybe the student contacted him."

            "Do you think you could crack his password?" Sam asked him.

            "I'm not sure but I can try."

            "Well, we all can't just stroll in," Meira objected. "It would look weird. You and Dean go, Cas. Me and Sam can go and interview Jamal's roommates."

            "We can?" Sam turned to her, surprised that she was giving orders.

            "Is there something wrong with that?" There wasn't but it was rather obvious to him that she wanted Dean to spend time with Cas alone. Whatever, Sam said to himself. Dean made his bed, he could go lay in it.

            No one objected. The plan was sound. Cas was the only one who could go in there and it not be suspicious and they had yet to interview the roommates.

            "Alrighty," Dean rose to his feet. "Let's go. We're taking the Impala, you got a car?" He asked Meira.

            "I have a Rolls Royce, thank you."  
            "Oh, I should have guessed," he rolled his eyes. "Well, we'll be back. Have fun rolling in the lap of luxury," he said to Sam. Cas followed him out the door.

            Once it was shut behind him, Sam turned to Meira. "What are the chances they get their work done?"

            "Don't worry. Cas is head over heels for your dumb brother but he's got his priorities straight."

            "This may sound crazy but I'm not so sure Dean has his."

            Meira looked pleasantly surprised. "Interesting," she said, fetching the keys from the wall.

 

***

 

            Dean couldn't believe Cas was in his car again. He turned and observed him in the passenger seat staring innocently back at him. "Look at you, with your tie," Dean reached over and fussed with it, fixing it and then realizes he preferred it loose and undid his work. "You're like a big boy now."

            "It would appear so," Cas conceded. He examined his clothing and then admitted, "I believe my tie is backwards even though I've attempted to fix it multiple times. I can't seem to get it right."

            "Doesn't matter." Dean smiled. "Fits you better that way."

            They looked at one another in silence as if realizing finally that they were alone. "I've missed you very much, Dean. I'm still rather surprised to see you again. I didn't think I would."

            "Yeah well," Dean sighed. "I didn't plan on it."

            "I get that impression."

            "What? That I'm a jackass?" Dean tried to make light of it but in truth, he believed it. He was after all, the love'm and leave'm type even without this whole money business.

            "Do you believe that?" Cas asked. He was sincere and he scrutinized Dean with those narrowed eyes of his.

            "Well, it would be denial if I didn't."

            "It would be delusion if you did," Cas corrected.

            "Delusion?" He shook his head. "If you only knew..." he said, looking about him now. He really should start driving but he just wanted to sit like this a little longer and talk to him. It felt like eternity. Or rather, he felt that as soon as he had shut that hotel door behind him, that he had begun facing eternity and so it's heavy burden had been placed on him and he carried it around, letting it wear him down. In truth, it had only been a week.

            "Doesn't matter, Dean."

            "Doesn't matter?"

            "Whatever you did or didn't do, it doesn't make you a bad person."

            "How can you be so sure?"

            "Because it's the reasons you do things, not the things themselves that mean whether you're a good person or a bad person."

            "Yeah well, what if you think you're a good person but you're really bad?"

            "Or in your case, where you think you're a bad person but you're really good?" He didn't wait for Dean to respond. "Philosophy and Theology are complicated subjects, Dean. One can reason out even the existence of morality, or reason out Good and Bad and it can be argued that we live in an amoral universe. It has been."

            "And?" Dean looked at him.

            "And?" Cas seemed confused.

            "And what do you think?"

            "I don't. I mean, I _feel_ that you are good and that's why I'm certain that you're not, what was it? A jackass?"

            "You feel?" Dean smiled at him. "Doesn't sound like something a baby genius would say."

            Cas laughed a bit and looked at the window. "Well, on the topic, no one is omnipotent, perhaps God but there is a difference between knowledge, Dean and wisdom. Knowledge of course, is knowing something and wisdom, is realizing there are things you don't know and never will. But that doesn't mean you can't understand it. They aren't the same."

            Dean watched him for several moments. "You deep little cookie," he said at last. "Well, after we're done hacking into Professor McCreepy's computer, we can go back to your place and you can talk to me in your little riddles." He put the key in and began to drive.

            After awhile Cas suddenly said, "I don't think I'd want to talk in riddles with you, Dean."

            "What? Don't think I'm smart enough?"

            "No," he said in matter-of-fact way. "I rather have sex with you."

            Dean couldn't stop laughing. Cas just smiled a long, admiring. "Cas, Cas, Cas," he said with a sigh. "You really are a gift that keeps giving, aren't you?"

 

***

 

            McAvoy's password was rather stupidly of him, his university ID number. He was also dull enough not to properly delete his emails. Dean couldn't believe this guy. After Cas logged in, Dean had leaned over his shoulder and started navigating the mouse. He could have asked for the seat but he preferred touching Cas than the less physically straining and awkward option that didn't include touching Cas.

            "Look at these! Oooweee," Dean laughed. "This is some steamy action." There were a series of emails between McAvoy and a female student named Haru apparently they had hooked up. Cas said he remembered her but didn't find her particularly interested in the course. "Well she was interested in the teacher or maybe, she was just interested in her GPA."

            There were emails from the university, talking about a possible meeting between McAvoy and a council of authorities from the school in regards to some claims filed by several female students. They didn't list their names, something they should have expected since it could jeopardize the girls' safety.

            "Man, this guy is all kinds of nasty. Well, at least we have a lead with this Haru girl," Dean said, logging off. There wasn't anything else that was useful to them.

            "We should tell the others," Cas said, rising from the chair.

            "Yeah, it'll take them longer probably and I'm sure Sam will call. We should um...go to your hotel?"

            Cas however, was no longer at the hotel. It seemed the room had made him miss Dean more so he got an apartment or rather he rented a small one story house. It was ranch style and modest. It hadn't been renovated in decades and had wood paneling on the walls. But there was a hot tub and since it was somewhat outside of town surrounded by forest and the air was fresh and quiet. Cas sent Meira a text message, telling them where they were going to be and what they found. She had yet to respond.

            "Not gonna lie," Dean said looking around the new place. "I'm gonna miss that fancy hotel well, the bar at least."

            "We could go somewhere else if you'd prefer it," Cas said to him. He was still wearing that stupid coat of his, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room while Dean walked around examining the place, picking little up paperweights and what not.

            "Nah, I fit in better in a place like this," he assured him.

            "Well, I will go get you something to drink. Would you like a beer or something else?"

            "Forget the beer," Dean said walking up to him. "And take your coat off for gods sake you're home."

            "Of course, it appears I am distracted."

            "Yeah," Dean helped him slip out of it and seeing him in his white dress shirt, snug against his lean form, he said, "Now, it's your turn to be distracting." Cas stood there, merely looking at Dean. "Okay, now the tie. It's too much."

            "Am I getting completely undressed?" he asked sincerely.

            God, he's so weird. So, so, weird. "Cas."

            "Dean?"

            "Remember, no riddles?"

            Cas tilted his head in and smiled in that weird uncomfortable way, and repeated back, "No riddles" as if it were a secret between them.

            Dean grabbed at his belt and pulled him close, their lips only an inch a part from one another. "Cas."

            "Dean?"

            "Do you want me?" he asked in a low voice, nearly a growl.

            "More than anything, Dean."

            "More than anything?" He kissed Cas' bottom lip.

            "It's not a figure of speech," he reported back.

            "So you mean it literally? You want me more than anything." Dean began to undo the buttons of his jeans and pulled himself out. Cas clenched his jaw but he wouldn't break the gaze between them. "More than life?"

            Cas looked perplexed. "Perhaps, Dean."

            "Prove it."

            "How?"

            "To live you need to breathe, right?" he said with an evil smirk all the while stoking himself.

            "Are you into asphyxiation, Dean? That's very dangerous fetish," Cas replied, seeming rather concerned. It was hard to keep things sexy when he talked like that.

            "No, Cas!" Dean rolled his eyes. "No, I'm trying to seduce you into, you know..." He ran his tongue around his lips and then pointed his chin at Cas.

            "I still don't understand."

            "I'm going to lose my erection if you keep acting like this," Dean closed his eyes and said more to himself. "Okay, you know what?" He started to put himself back into his jeans. "I just pulled my dick out so I could play with it, that's all," he said sarcastically.

            Cas tilted his head in confusion and then after a moment, realized what he was saying. "Dean, my apologies. I didn't realize you wanted me to give you oral sex."

            "Keyword: "wanted" because now I'm not the mood." Dean just threw himself on the couch and fished for the TV remote in the bulbous sofa.

            Cas looked around his apartment as if he were frustrated. He realized that he acted rather stupidly and now Dean appeared to be mad at him. He had turned the television on and started watching Wheel of Fortune with a very bored look on his face.

            "Dean?"

            "I could use that beer now. Thanks." Cas marched over to him and grabbed the remote and promptly turned the TV off. "Hey! I wanted to see if it was Curious George!" he said referring to the game show.

            Not bothering to answer him, Cas grabbed Dean by his chin, and pushing it so that the back of Dean's head hit the sofa, he held him there roughly. Dean seemed shocked but he was submissive and Cas kissed him forcefully.

            Cas pulled away but held Dean there as he began to undo the buttons of his own pants. Dean's eyes were a lit with excitement, relishing in this sudden show of dominance on Cas' part who then pulled his own erection out. Letting Dean's jaw go only so that he could grab the back of his head with the same hand, he pushed his face close and slipped himself inside of Dean's open mouth.

            Dean was eager for it, and wanting. His body grew pliant, willing to be led any which way that Cas wanted. When he had had enough of him sucking him off he pulled Dean by his shirt up and ordered him to get up. "The room," he said indicating where it was. Dean nodded obediently and followed his orders when Cas told him to undress himself.

            The bedroom itself was spare with a bed that had a metal headboard and a dresser that kept Cas' simple wardrobe. Cas went and opened one of the drawers and pulled another tie. He lifted Dean's arms above his head and began to tie his wrists to the headboard.

            "Who knew you could be so freaky, Cas?" Dean smiled so wide he thought his cheeks were going to hurt.

            Cas kissed him deeply and Dean squirmed because he felt the urge to wrap his arms around him but couldn't and then Cas pulling away, put two fingers into Dean's mouth. "You're very beautiful, Dean." And the other man just sucked on his fingers, his green eyes smiling and his body tingling.

            When they were wet, Cas crawled in front of Dean and spreading his legs, gently put his fingers inside of him. Dean was a bit shocked and at first it hurt badly but then it began to hurt in a good way and then when Cas lowered his head and began sucking him off, it began to feel better than anything he had ever experienced before. He threw his head back and groaned in pleasure.

            "Is it okay if I penetrate you, Dean?" Cas asked sitting upright.

            Dean laughed, feeling embarrassed. "Do what you gotta do," he said with a little smile. Then Cas leaned over to reach into the end table near the bed and pulling out a bottle of blue color lubricant, explained that he didn't want to hurt him.

            "Right, of course," Dean took a deep breath, trying to hide the fact that he was a bit nervous. Of course, Dean had played him with himself before, rubbing himself while putting his finger inside and even one time-and he'd never tell anyone this, he even put a small flashlight that had a round edge up there because he felt he needed just a little more than what his fingers could give him. But nothing as big as Cas.

            "It'll be a little cold," Cas warned him in a sweet low voice.

            "Did you keep that in the drawer for me or some other guy?" Dean said throwing his head against the pillow and trying to catch his breath.

            "Are you jealous, Dean?" He put it on Dean and it felt so cold, he let out a little yelp.

            "Possessive. There's a difference."

            And then Cas pressed the tip of his erection against him and it felt so good, so firm, so hard. Dean just squeezed his eyes closed.

            "I'm going to lift your legs, Dean."

            "Okay. You do that."

            And then it was easier for him to slip it in, the tip seemed so big and then a little more. Dean cussed because it hurt but when Cas began to move away he begged him to keep going.

            "Are you sure?" He asked.

            "Yes, Cas. Just," He let out a desperate sigh. "Just fuck me, okay?"

            Once he was in and began to rock inside, it felt so good, Dean began to nearly whimper. Cas kissed him sweetly on the lips and Dean tried to return it but he couldn't, he felt like he was melting and going mad, one of those or both. He didn't think it would feel this good and he wished it would stop because it was overwhelming but then he wished it never would.

            And then Dean came on himself, a white stream from the middle of his chest all the way down to his belly button and it was warm and sticky against his flesh and the sight of it made Cas more aggressive, the blue of his eyes began to deepen and he began to go faster and Dean's hands, tied to the bars hurt like hell every time it hit the wall, over and over again.

            Cas pressed his forehead against Dean's and pushing himself so deep inside, he came. It felt so wet and hot inside of him. Cas opened his eyes and looked into Dean's and then suddenly remembering that he had bound him there, he undid the tie and let Dean's arms fall mercifully down but Dean just wrapped them around Cas and laughed. "Look at you, little nerd. Taking what yours, huh?"

            Cas gave out a little growl, still desirous and kissed him. "Dean," he said. He was so cute.

            "Fucked me good, didn't you?" He smiled.

            Cas must have been delirious because then, looking Dean right in the eyes, he said in his gravely voice, "I love you, Dean."

            "Okay, now we're done here!" He laughed nervously in response and pushed Cas off of him. It felt weird not to have him inside anymore but he was just going to have to shake it off because Cas just made things weird, well weirder than he usually makes things.

            Cas didn't say anything, didn't even look at him. He just stared at the sheet, looking somewhat pitiful, naked and with a dull expression that sometimes accompanies the more socially awkward when they're embarrassed.

            Dean quickly put his clothes on. "Man, where the hell are they?" He said aloud, searching for his phone. 5 missed calls. Damn. He flipped it open and turned to Cas who still lay there as he was, probably processing how he screwed everything up. "Hey Cas." And when he didn't look up at him, Dean repeated. "Cas, hey, buddy!"

            "Yes?" He finally directed his attention to Dean's face.

            "I don't think um-," he cleared his throat. "We should do that again."

            "You didn't like recei-"

            "That's not what I mean," he interrupted. "I don't think me and you should have that kind of relationship, you know like, physical. Let's just keep it strictly business alright?"

            "You don't-"

            "Cas, this isn't up for discussion."

            Cas cleared his throat. "I understand."

            Dean took another deep breath. His head was buzzing and he couldn't tell what he was feeling. Shock? "Get your clothes on," he ordered and left the room to call his brother.


	3. Ginger Snaps

"So apparently Jamal was like the worst roommate of all time," Sam announced. Meira handed him a beer and he thanked her.

            "So what are you trying to say? They cut his heart out of spite and that no one was a werewolf?" Dean asked. He was leaning against the wall in the kitchen and Cas was sitting across the room, quietly staring at the table.

            "No, it was most definitely was a werewolf."

            "So why did they hate this guy?"

            "He didn't clean up after himself for one," Meira explained. "He stole from them all the time; money, clothes, even papers. One of them actually got in trouble with a professor because of it. Not to mention, he'd bring a ton of men home and have loud sex."

            "What? Is everyone at this school a homo?" Dean threw his hands up in disbelief.

            Sam gave his brother a disgusted look, "What's up with the language, Dean?"

            "What? It's not wrong."

            "It's mean. Besides, it's not like you can talk."

            "I'm not gay," Dean replied as if it was obvious.

            Meira stared at him and mouthed "what the fuck" and then tipped her head towards Cas who acted as if he had heard nothing.

            Dean shook his head. "One time thing, alright?"

            "Is it ever?" she scoffed and folding her arms, stared condescendingly at him.

            "Whatever, Dean," Sam got back on topic. "We still need to find the connection between the vics. Jamal wasn't exactly found dead in the alley. Someone entered his apartment on the 10th floor and deliberately killed him."

            "What did you guys find?" Meira asked.

            "We discovered that Professor McAvoy was having an affair with a student by the name of Haru Matsumoto," Cas suddenly spoke up. It was surprising since he was sitting there so quietly and stilly that one would have thought he was in his own world altogether.

            "Haru..." Sam exchanged a look with Meira. "When you were talking to that one guy, I saw that name on one of those sticky notes on Jamal's computer."

            "So he knew her?" Cas mused.

            "Seems like it."

            "So Haru is our other wolf, then?" Dean confirmed.

            There was a collective moment of agreement before Meira chimed in, "Okay, now that we suspect her to be one, what do we do? Kill her?"

            Dean took a deep sigh and saying with more pleasure than what Meira had expected or was comfortable with, "It's hunting time."

 

***

            But it wasn't going to be that easy. A simple search via the web, Sam was able to find that Haru didn't live in the dorms or in her own apartment for that matter. Instead, she was a pledged member of a Greek sorority. Dean met the news with his typical pervy joy until Sam burst his bubble and told him that it was just going to make their job harder. They couldn't just stroll in and gank her right in front of 10 other girls.

            They were going to have to stake the place out.

            And so they did. They split up in pairs. At first Dean suggested that he go with his brother and Meira and Cas go together but Sam corrected him, stating the obvious that the other two had never done anything like this before and if they were caught, they could get killed. Dean objected and said that they might as well stay back and Meira nearly pitched a fit at that.

            "I think I know what's going on here," Sam said. "I'll go with Cas and you go with Meira, okay?"  
            Dean wasn't pleased with that but it was better than the other option.

            Cas never said a word through the whole argument.

            Sam took the impala and Meira her Rolls Royce. Meira and Dean were going to hide out nearer the house, behind some foliage and Sam and Cas were going to examine the house from the outside with a pair of binoculars.

            "I hate this," Sam said feeling like a creeper. From where he was sitting, he could see Dean and Meira slipping behind some bushes. The house was as you would expect; big, white, with Dorian style columns and loud music pumping through the walls. By the lack of cars nearby, he surmised that a party was unlikely. It was after all only a week after finals and many people had already left. They were taking a gamble and hoping that Haru wasn't one.

            Cas sat quietly next to Sam and surveyed the building. He was the only one who knew which girl was Haru. By her name alone, they guessed that she was ethnically Japanese.

            "How are you doing, Cas?" Sam said breaking the silence.

            "I am fine. How are you, Sam?"

            "Great. Um, is there something going on between you and Dean?"

            Cas turned to look at him. "Well, I think your brother would like to distance himself from me."

            "Did something happen?"

            "I assumed that our relationship was different than it actually is. From the way you and Dean fight, Sam, it appears you would assume that the fault lies with him but in truth, it's entirely mine."

            "Do you want to talk about it?"

            Cas was busy searching the windows. "Not particularly, besides, I see Haru."

            "Where?" Sam shifted and brought the binoculars to his eyes.

            "The room to the far right," Cas explained. There she was walking back and forth in her room, looking at her cell phone. "Should we alert the others?"

            "Yeah, let me call Dean."

 

***

 

            Once they had made it to their mark, Meira took the opportunity to smack Dean right on his chest. It felt like a sumo wrestler just wacked him one. "What the!" He glared at her.

            "Yeah, what the!" She spat back. "Why are you acting like a big ass dick again? I thought we had a deal!"

            "We did. But that was before that little freak got all weird."

            "He is weird. That's what makes him a freak, you tart."

            "No, I mean weirder."

            "Weirder. Like a guy who travels around in a car with his family and hunts monsters weird?"

            "Weirder than that."

            "Care to explain?"

            Dean was reluctant but until he told her, she wasn't going to let up. "We were doing it alright?"

            "Really? You didn't have to, you know that?"

            He ignored her and continued. "And right afterwards, he goes all..." he couldn't say it. It was too horrible. He stared at her with a look of one severely traumatized.

            "All what? Rain man again? Starts counting your eyelashes, what?"

            "I wish. That would be cute." What the hell are you saying, Dean? Sometimes he wished he could even gag himself. "No, he said..."

            "Said what?!"

            "SHHHHH! We're on case here!"

            "Then say it. What are you as 12 year old girl? Come on."

            "He said he loved me."

            Meira didn't look surprised, just crestfallen. "Dammit, Cas..." she sighed. "He had to be in the moment. You know how that is."

            "No, I don't. I've never been so deep in a moment that I'd say that."

            "You have to remember, he's not screwed up like you. He doesn't have daddy issues."

            "How would you know?"

            "Who wouldn't? You're like one messed up moment from entering the porn industry."

            "You shut your face." Just then, he realized his phone had been ringing. "Hey."

            "Dean, what the hell?" Sam said on the other side. "This is the third time I've called you."

            "Sorry," he threw Meira and evil glare. "I was distracted by Marie Curie and her hysterics."

            "Better Marie Curie than Alan Turing's butt boy," she whispered back but he didn't know what the hell she was talking about.

            "Haru is upstairs, on the top floor near the front on your guys' side. She looks like she is waiting for a call or something."

            "Should we bust in?"

            "No. I think we should wait until the lights are off and then sneak in. Or maybe follow her if she leaves."

            "Alright. Sounds like a good plan," Dean agreed. And just before he hung up, he asked Sam who Alan Turing was.

            "He was a genius. He practically discovered binary and invented the computer."

            "Why would crazy perm call me that?" he eyed her the whole time while she stared at him smug and superior.

            "I don't know? He was gay. He died from eating a poison apple," he added as if that meant anything to the situation.

            "Bitch..."

            "I'm hanging up now."

            Dean closed his phone and narrowed his eyes at Meira. "I didn't call you Alan Turing," she corrected. "I would never give you the honor. I called you his butt boy."

           

***

 

            An hour or so passed before Haru could be seen leaving the house. She didn't look either way but just went straight to her convertible and climbed in. It was a quarter past one in the morning and she was all dolled up and likely heading to some bar. Sam called Dean to let him know that he had spotted her and were going to follow. Dean and Meira would be close behind.

            Haru drove towards town but then unexpectedly she took a left down a highway that led to a dark dirt road. Cas commented on how strange her behavior was and Sam said that she knew she was being followed. What he didn't expect was for her to suddenly pull the car over and climb out. She stood in the middle of the road with her hands folded.

            Sam parked the car.

            "Well?" Haru said.

            "We know what you are," Sam lifted up the gun filled with silver bullets.

            "A Werewolf?"  
            "You killed Jamal."

            "And I also killed the other skanks," She said, throwing her long black hair back from her shoulder.

            Cas had been ordered to stay in the car but he climbed out anyway. Haru looked at him like seeing him was the funniest thing in the world.

            "McAvoy didn't kill Meredith and Angela?" Sam asked.

            "No. He didn't. What are you here for Castiel, to avenge your sensei? You do know he despised you, you little creep? I'm so glad you're obviously gay. I wouldn't be able to stand you breathing down my neck."

            "Why did you kill them?"

            "Why? Because McAvoy liked those little whores!"  
            "You were jealous?"

            "No!" She almost began to laugh. "Please."

            "She wasn't jealous. She was possessive," Cas clarified to Sam's surprise.

            Haru looked at him like she was impressed. "Yeah, exactly."

            "And Jamal?" Sam asked.

            "He wasn't so obviously gay like Cas here and when I told him I wanted to fuck, he said grow a dick and we could talk." She was so disturbingly crude.

            "What happened to you?" Cas asked. She used to be a shy girl, wore pastel sweaters, and covered her mouth when she laughed.

            "I got bit. I got liberated. I got free, Castiel. I know you closetbound fags wouldn't understand." Just then Meira and Dean arrived. "Hmm back up, I see."

            "Why haven't you killed her?" Dean shouted, quickly pulling out his gun.

            "He's trying to fish around and see if there are anymore wolves, isn't that right, handsome?" she licked her lips and eyed Sam all over like he was a piece of meat. Suddenly two cars, both luxury pulled up behind them, and the rest of the girls from the sorority climbed out, some already had their fangs and nails protracted, looking grotesque in their Louis Vuitton. "Well, obviously, the answer is yes. We wolves run in packs, after all. And if I get a Christmas gift, you're damned sure I'm sharing with my sisters."

            Dean looked around him in a panic. "You gotta be kidding me? A sorority of werewolves?"

            "That's right," Haru confirmed with obvious pleasure.

            "So I bet you all get your moon at the same time, huh?"

            "HA! Aren't you a cute one? Too bad you're gay too." He gave her an insulted look but didn't have long to keep it for the pack was closing in on them. "And you're right. We bleed and we _bleed_ together, you get me?"

            "Dean!" Sam shouted. There was no way there were taking on 10 wolves.

            "Get in the car and drive!" he shouted.

            In a matter of seconds, they climbed back into their vehicles. The sorority girls clawed at their doors while they sped away making terrible screeching sounds with their nails against the metal. They nearly plowed through Haru but she jumped up, 5 feet into the air and leapt over them.

            The girls just laughed. They didn't even bother to chase them.

            They rendezvoused back at Cas' place. Dean slamming the car door behind him and rushing to the Impala, practically hugging it when he realized there was very little damage and that Meira's Rolls Royce had taken most of it. She didn't seem to care, she like most normal people, was more concerned about the huge pack of she-wolves.

            "What the hell are we going to do?" She asked Sam in a shrill voice.

            Sam just looked at his brother as if there was an obvious answer. "No," was all Dean said.

            "No? Do you have a better idea? There's at least 10 of them and they already got our scent. They might even be on their way here as we speak."

            "No, we're not calling him!" Dean shouted. Meira stood next to Cas as if any moment, the two might start throwing punches.

            "Then what are we going to do?!"

            "I don't know but we're not calling him!"

            "Why not, Dean?" he gave him his bitch face. "Think about it. There's no way we can take them on ourselves not to mention, we have these two here and they're just sitting ducks for these werewolves! They don't stand a chance so we're stuck protecting them, Dean. Think about it. We need him. And we may even need Bobby. As far as I am concerned, this isn't even up for debate."

            "We're not bothering him with this Sam. He told us to take care of it so we're gonna take care of it."

            "How?"

            "If you stop yelling, I might be able to think of something."

            "He told us to take care of it when he thought it was a small pack. This isn't small, Dean."

            "Just stop! I said we're not, okay?"

            "Well, I say we are."

            "No, Sam." He glared at him, he was nearly at the end of his rope.

            "This is about Cas, isn't it?" Sam said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his sweater and shaking his head at Dean as if he were mildly disgusted.

            "What?! No."

            "Yeah, it is. You're worried that he's gonna find out that you've been having sex with some guy."

            "Okay, stop!" Meira jumped in finally. "Don't bring Cas into your man bitching, okay?"

            "But that's what this is about, isn't it, Dean?" Sam viciously pressed. He could get really bad when he got angry and if Dean was near the end of his rope, Sam had long gone off it.

            "No, dad could get arrested!"

            "Maybe. But if he doesn't help us, we're definitely gonna die and these two are gonna die with us. Do you want that, Dean?"

            Dean walked up to him and looked him straight in the eyes and said in a low voice between his teeth, "We can handle this, Sam."

            Sam shook his head bitterly and just marched back into the house not saying another word. Meira turned and looked at Dean.

            "Okay? So what now?"

            "I'm thinking!" he shouted at her as he began to pace back and forth. But nothing was coming to him. He could set up a trap but they already knew he was coming. Unless, they set up a trap here. But how? Wouldn't that put these two in danger? And even if they could set up a trap, what kind of trap?

            Meira stared at Cas as if she were about to have a panic attack. Cas in a calm voice finally spoke up, "Dean, if it is true that your father can help, Meira and I will say nothing about our prior relationship." It was already prior. They had been intimate only hours ago and now he talked like they had long been divorced.

            Dean turned and faced him, he looked spent and deflated. "That's not it, Cas. It's hard to explain. But I don't want to go crying to my old man, alright?"

            "With all do respect, Dean. If this situation is as dire as your brother makes it out to be, you may want to reconsider."

            "Yeah, Dean," Meira added. "This is probably bigger than your stupid pride. I'm not gonna die because of your fucking daddy issues."

            "No, you're gonna die because I'm going to kill you."

            "Listen, you fuck up," Meira glared at him. "You came to me, remember? You asked for our help and now, the situation is fucked. You don't get to drop us like we're some background shit to your pissbaby family drama, alright?"

            But Dean didn't say anything to her, he just paced back and forth until she wrung her hands and stomped back inside.

            "Are you okay, Dean?" Cas asked in a sweet, low voice. He was wearing that stupid trench coat and had his hands in the pockets. He was leaning against the Impala; his brow furrowed in concern.

            Dean stopped pacing and turned to face him. "Yeah, I'm okay, Cas," he answered unconvincingly.

            "No, you're not."

            "Well, you never met my old man."

            "Whatever you want to do, I'm okay with it, Dean. I agreed to help. We're not your burden."

            "Your friend doesn't think so..."

            "She's just protective. And frankly, she doesn't like you very much," he admitted.

            "Well, the feeling is mutual. Look Cas, I don't have a clue what to do."

            "Do you suspect that they will come here?"

            "Maybe."

            "Then perhaps we fortify and wait."

            "Whatcha got?"

            He hadn't much but some of the old wood paneling in the basement. They used it to block out the windows so they couldn't be seen. They melted down some of the silverware in the kitchen and made more bullets, Dean giving Meira and Cas a quick 101 on how to fire a gun. All they could do now was sit in the living room and wait.

            It was tense and quiet. Sam like Meira glared at Dean as they huddled together in shared frustration. Since Cas was his only friend at the moment, they sat near one another on the opposite ends of the room, occasionally making small conversation.

            "What if they don't show?" Meira asked. "Am I ever gonna get any sleep?"

            "Quit whining. Better to not sleep at all than to sleep forever," Dean replied somewhat cryptically.

            Sam got up to go grab some more coffee from the kitchen and Meira went with him, claiming that if left alone, she was going to scratch Dean's eyes out. "I am beginning to believe Dean, that our sorority of werewolves are not coming," Cas said.

            "You know normally I'd be excited about being ambushed by bunch of sorority girls but this, this is not what I imagined."

            "I didn't realize you were sexually attracted to women, Dean."

            "I am. I'm mostly you know, attracted to women."

           "You're bisexual?"

            "Yeah sure." In Dean's mind, he was lying. "But I'm sure as hell, ain't weresexual."

            "Is that a pun?"

            "It's meant to be, yeah."

            "Dean."

            "Yeah?"

            "You aren't very good at them."

            "Yes, I am. You just aren't very good at getting them."

            They stared at one another as if in standstill. The longer they kept eye contact, the faster the barrier Dean had put between him and Cas had faded away and he remembered rather how deeply he felt about him. And he wanted to be somewhere else where he could have him again. "Look, Cas, I'm sorry for acting like a dick earlier."  
            "It's my fault, Dean. I was as they say, caught up in the moment. It is highly unlikely that my feelings could be that strong for you."

            "Right," Dean nodded, feeling a heavy sense of disappointment that he hadn't expected to feel.

            "I mean I do love, well, you know," he smiled at him, that little weird smile that in truth, Dean found so endearingly cute.

            "Oh, I bet," Dean grinned. He didn't think that he'd ease up to him again so quickly. Cas though, was different than other people. He just had a different effect.

            "Do you forgive me?"

            "It was an honest mistake."

            "It was."  
            "Yeah, I forgive you."

            They smiled sweetly at one another. "I'm glad."

            Dean nodded, "Me too."

            It was getting awkward but neither was going to do anything to stop it. "Dean?"

            "Yeah?"

            "Can I kiss you again?"

            Dean watched him for several moments, a smile forming reluctantly on his lips. Sam walked in the room temporarily just to exit out the front door. Dean didn't bother with him. "Yeah, I guess so."

            Cas leaned in and brushed his lips against his and for some reason, maybe because of the little incident, it felt sweeter. The butterflies in his stomach were urgent and he felt like his knees had gone weak. Cas then kissed him full on and Dean was willing. He kissed him back, threaded his fingers in Cas' short hair and wouldn't stop kissing him even though he could sense Meira standing there gaping at them.

            Finally they stopped only for Cas to press his cheek against Dean's and whisper his name in his ear. Dean closed his eyes and let himself sink into the sensation.

            Sam cleared his throat. Dean opening his eyes turned and looked in his direction and his heart nearly stopped.

            Standing there flanked by Sam and Meira was his father John Winchester and Uncle Bobby standing right behind him, watching the back of John's head, looking worried. John himself just stared at Dean without an expression-which was the worst. Dean would have taken anything instead of that dead glare.

            "Hey," Dean said weakly and took a deep gulp. His eyes glistened in fear.

            "Son," John replied.

            "That didn't take you long."

            "We weren't far."

            "How's it going, Dean?" Bobby spoke up, his tone forcibly bright.

            "Heh..uh...you know, it's going?" he tried to smile.

            "Who's the friend?"

            Cas rose to his feet and extended his hand. "My name is Castiel." John just looked down at it.

            "John. That's Bobby."

            "Nice to meet you," Cas said.

            "Nice to meet you," John nodded and examined Cas' face. "Dean, a word?"

            The room was so terribly tense. Dean felt like an animal on his way to slaughter. "Sure, dad," he said in that painfully high pitched voice and rose to his feet, feeling like his knees were about to give way under him.

            John turned and walked out, Dean following glared at Sam as they passed.

 

***

 

            John ordered him to grab the guns from his trunk and Dean nearly fell over himself retrieving them. "Dad, I can explain," he said piteously but John didn't look like he was in the mood.

            "Dean, just so we're clear son, I left you here so you can finish the job not to mess around."

            "It's not like that." There were several bags of stuff John wanted to remove and they walked back and forth taking them from the car and placing them in front of the door. "Dad, I'm not-you know?"

            "Dean, look, I'm not surprised."

            "What?"

            "I'm not surprised that you are, well-" he didn't bother finishing his sentence.

            "What are you talking about, dad. I'm straight. It's not like that I can explain." Dean felt like he was chasing his dad back and forth. John opened the door and started putting the bags in, all the while giving him the cold shoulder.

            "I don't care, Dean," John said turning to him then. All the others were staring. Bobby looking on in worry, Meira in fear of John-for he was frightening, Cas like Bobby, concerned for Dean and Sam, malice at his father, expecting for the inevitable. "You were always very domestic."

            "What?"

            "Like your mom."

            In other words, feminine. It was as if everything Dean had ever tried to be for his father was for nothing. He had wanted to be tough like his dad, manly like his dad, cool like his dad-but it didn't matter. In John eyes, Dean was just some prissy fruit who liked to make them food and clean the house.

            If Dean had more self-respect, he would throw it back into his dad's face. That's what Sam wanted to do. He glowered at their father just waiting for his moment to strike and accuse John of being a stupid son of bitch, accuse him of forcing Dean into that roll but Dean didn't give him the opportunity. "No, I'm not gay, dad. I can explain."

            "What do you mean you can explain?" John was getting fed up with this excuse. "Explain then."

            Dean partly wanted to ask his dad to talk to him outside but John wasn't going to move, not until Dean owned up to it. "You were in jail, dad."

            "Dean, don't-" Sam pleaded.

            "Shut up, Sam. Look, you were in jail and we needed get the money."

            "Dean, please-" Meira was in a panic but he just ignored her.

            "So Meira paid me to sleep with her friend and she's still paying me to pretend to like him, alright. I know it's not right. But we needed and we still need the money."

            Bobby looked at Sam with his mouth gaping open and Sam just shook his head in disappointment. A dull shock settled over the room. "Bastard," Meira finally said, interrupting the silence.

            "Is this true?" Cas turned to her.

            She thought to lie but Sam gave her a look that said he would chime in if she thought to, "Yes, it's true but it wasn't supposed to be a big deal, okay? He's just a stupid pretty boy. You weren't supposed to like him so much," she pleaded with him. "I know I tricked you but it was all good until this whole werewolf thing and him coming back and all."

            "You paid him to pretend to like me and to..." he couldn't even finish his statement. He looked downright humiliated and in front of all these people. He just stared at the floor. Watching him, Dean felt a sudden pang of regret and his stomach had begun to turn and revolt against himself. _Idiot. Idiot. Idiot._ Cas looked so shocked, so heartbroken. A strong longing fell over Dean and he just wanted to be alone with him and pretend like this never happened. But he was busy playing his part for his father and so, remained silent.

            "I'm going to check the windows in the bedroom," Cas said finding an excuse to leave and no one could blame him. It was terribly embarrassing.

            "Cas!" Dean heard himself say. All the others stared at Dean in shock, wondering just how cruel he could be. Cas paused for a second as if he were going to turn around but deciding against it, continued on his way until he disappeared into the other room.

            "Nice going fuck face," Meira finally said.

            "I don't think you have the right to talk," Sam said to her. "Both of you are jerks for this, you know that, right?"

            "What you wanted dad to rot in jail?"

            Curiously, John hadn't said a word. Maybe, he did see Dean's point.

            "You didn't have to continue it."

            "We had to try."

            "Not to interrupt this episode of _Dawson's Creek_ ," Bobby chimed in. "But aren't we expecting a sorority of werewolves any moment now?"

            "Bobby's right," John finally said. "We need to focus on finishing the job. Bobby and me drove past the house on the way here and it was empty. It's already 3 in the morning, so they only have a couple hours left. We need to be prepared."

            "That means we all gotta be in the room when they come. Splitting up is a bad idea," Bobby added.

            "I'll go get him," Meira said referring to Cas but Bobby stopped her.

            "No offence little lady but I don't think he's gonna listen to you. Sam should probably go."

            "I'll go!" Dean said. "Let me apologize alright. I didn't mean for him to get the wrong idea."

            "Bullshit, Dean," Sam replied spitefully. "You totally led him on," he said making his way to the room Cas was in. Several moments later they came back and the group of them formed a circle, Sam next to Cas, Cas next to Bobby, then John, then Dean and Meira all the way back to Sam. Each had their guns loaded and ready.

            "I'm sorry about what I said," John suddenly whispered to Dean. "What you did, it was-well it was what is was but I know it wasn't an easy call and you thought you were doing the right thing. I know that boy's upset with you but he'll get over it."

            Dean nodded, basking in his father's approval. If Sam had overheard, he might say something insulting to Dean. But only he heard him, and Dean relished in this rare occurrence.

            "You shoot a gun before, kid?" Bobby asked Cas.

            "No, I haven't."

            "Well, be prepared for the kickback. Aim for the heart. That's how you do these things in."

            "Yes, I understand."

            "What you do, son?"

            "I'm working on my PhD in ancient religions."

            "Know a lot about demons?"

            "More than most, yes."

            Dean interrupting the conversation added, "Cas is a genius."

            And it was as if he were that drunk, annoying guy at the wedding. At the sound of his voice, Cas became visibly angry and gripped his gun tightly and Sam leered across the circle at his brother.

            "Good for you, Cas," Bobby said and rolling his eyes at Dean's utter stupidity.

            Suddenly they heard the sound of several cars pulling up. It had to be the werewolves. One could hear the sound of their valley girl chatter inside the quiet of Cas' house. "Well ain't this absurd," Bobby said aloud.

            They didn't waste any time. Haru kicked down the door and laughed like a psychopath. Sam quickly shot at her but missed. And then one had jumped through the window, the wood paneling being a poor obstacle to her super human strength. And then in seconds, the whole pack was upon them and the circle closed in sending silver bullets in the air until one dressed in a sequence mini skirt jumped inside of it and started right towards Meira who in high pitched squeal broke formation.

            Then it was hand to hand combat, some of the sorority girls went down with shots to the heart. Surprisingly Cas was able to hold his own-in fact, he was actually a good fighter and took down two wolves in short time. Meira however scurried around and tried to hide under furniture. Sam took it upon himself to protect her and just when a werewolf was about to grab her, he kicked it in the gut and sent it flying to the floor.

            One of the girls had Bobby pinned against the ground and was two seconds from biting his throat until Dean shot her in the temple and sent her sliding. His victory was short lived for Haru herself grabbed Dean by the throat and pushed him against the wall. "Oh do I want to do dirty things with you," she growled.

            "I'd say bite me bitch, but you'd probably like that," Dean tried to peel her fingers off of his neck but it was useless. He struggled against her grasp, his feet dangling off the floor.

            "Haru," Cas said and she turned to look at him. With more luck then he's been having lately, he managed to shoot a bullet right through her heart. She stared at him in disbelief just before staggering and falling to the floor, falsely assuming that either she couldn't be killed or she wouldn't be killed by someone like him.

            "Thanks, Cas," Dean smiled at him but he only got a blank stare in response.

            With Haru down, the remaining wolves panicked. The one in the skirt pushed Sam and then grabbed Meira by her hair and dragged her out the door, the rest of the pack following. The group chased after them but it was too late, they had sped off with Meira in the back seat.

            "What are they going to do?" Cas asked aloud. "Are they going to kill her?"

            "Probably not," John replied. "They are going to set a trap."

 

***

 

            They burned the bodies in the back. There were five of them. Bobby suggested that they go somewhere else. It wasn't smart to stay in the same place and John agreed so they decided to go to the motel that the boys had been staying at.

            "We'll get your friend back," John said to Cas while they were packing up the car.

            "I'm coming with you," he replied. Dean was surprised to find that John didn’t intimidate Cas and even though he was taller than him, Cas lifted his chin to stare at John right in the eye when he talked.

            "Look, you held your own last night, kid but you're not a hunter and I'm not having you get hurt on my watch. We'll take you somewhere safe, ok? And you'll lay low until this is over."

            "Meira is my friend," Cas wasn't going to budge.

            "Even after she tricked you?"

            Cas took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. She may have hurt me but I still care about her and I'm going to help save her even if that means putting myself in danger. I hope you understand that John."

            He regarded him for a several moments, measuring Cas up and determining just how tough the guy was. Apparently, he was impressed. "Well you aren't going to take no for an answer, are you?"

            "No. I'm not."

            Cas rode with John and Bobby to the motel and Sam and Dean in the Impala. They didn't talk much. Both were exhausted. Sam was upset with himself, believing that it was his fault that Meira was taken.

            As soon as they got to the motel, they started plotting. It was likely they had taken Meira back to the chapter house and the girls were fortifying for an attack. Bobby kept shaking his head the whole time commenting on how utterly ridiculous this case was, sorority werewolves, really?! Seemed like the plot of some bad teen horror flick.

            They all agreed that they should wait until nightfall mostly because they didn't want to draw any attention. A shootout in the middle of the day on a college campus would surely draw an audience and probably the authorities. They couldn't risk it for obvious reasons. John told everyone to get some sleep and he went to the front desk to get another room for him and Bobby. Since it wasn't safe for Cas to be by himself, he ordered Sam and Dean to share a bed.

            Bobby followed him out, turning back to give Dean a look and a shake of his head.

            "I'm not tired," Sam reported. "I'm going to take a cold shower."

            "Yeah, you do that." Dean sat down on one of the beds and let out a loud sigh. He hadn't expected to be left alone with Cas especially after last night.

            "Just leave him alone," Sam whispered to his brother just before he went into the bathroom.

            Cas began to get ready to sleep. He took the awful trench coat off and started removing his shoes. He acted as if Dean wasn't even there. Watching him pull his shirt off, Dean felt a strange sensation come over him, believing perhaps for a second that nothing had changed between them and he was getting undressed so he could lay down next to him.

            "Cas?"

            Nothing. He just continued his motions, undoing his belt and removing his pants. He wore nothing but plain white boxers and an undershirt. He pulled back the blankets and climbed in, facing the opposite direction.

            "Hey, Cas. Can I talk to you?"

            "Dean, there's nothing to talk about."

            "Look I get why you're mad. I'd be mad too."

            Cas suddenly became infuriated and he shot up and turned to glare at Dean. "I don't think you do, Dean."

            "It was just sex, alright. Don't take it so personal. What are you, a chick?"

            Cas grinded his teeth and narrowed those large cat eyes of his. "Sexism might be the way your father puts you down but if you think it will change my behavior, Dean, you better think again."

            "But you have to admit Cas, you're acting like I killed your puppy."

            Cas threw the blankets off and got to his feet. He walked around the bed all the while never releasing the relentless glower he had casted upon Dean. "You arrogant fool," he said between his teeth. "Do you really think this is about you" He grabbed Dean by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to his feet. "This is about my friend Meira betraying me and allowing me to trust a filthy, bottom feeding whore and now, I am forced to work with this two faced monster in order to save her even though I want nothing more than to wring her neck. So Dean, forgive me for not being up for the hunt like the rest of you. My best friend's life is in danger and may die at any moment. But of course," he threw Dean back down on bed. "I'm only heartbroken because of you."

            Dean felt like he had been winded, or like his heart had been cut out with a spoon and thrown on the floor so Cas could stomp on it. "Wow, Cas," he took several deep breaths. "Filthy, bottom feeding whore," he repeated. "I didn't think you were that creative."

            "One doesn't need to be creative when dealing with the facts."

            "Right," Dean wished he could shut up but he couldn't. "Since when were you so good at seeing things the way they are, huh Cas? You're probably the most gullible genius I have ever met. Only an idiot would think I was honestly interested in you. Please, even if I was gay which I'm not, that sex we had was downright disgusting by the way," he added. "I wouldn't even look at you twice, you awkward freak." He shook his head, smiling bitterly to himself. "If you only knew how much she was paying me, man. I should have asked for more, especially after that whole pathetic 'I love you' stunt."

            Cas stood there and stared at him. Dean couldn't read his emotions, whatever he was feeling, he buried it deep down and wore only that blank expression. "Just leave me alone, Dean," he said in a low voice. Dean could detect a note of sadness that he had tried to stifle but couldn't. He crawled back into bed and pulled the blankets up.

            Dean sat there, feeling so much pain he thought his heart was writhing inside of him. He needed a drink but the minibar was empty. He had drunk all of it and they left the rest of the liquor at Meira's house. Dean slammed it shut more forcibly than he thought he did. It made a terrible loud noise. "Fuck," he cussed. But Cas didn't stir. What was he thinking? Probably what a son of bitch you are.

            What was he going to do? He couldn't live like this. He needed something strong.

            Sam left the bathroom, his hair still damp. "I'm going to go talk to Bobby," he said and not pausing to hear Dean's response slipped his shoes on and left. Dean got the impression he was angry with him too. Everyone was angry with him. Everyone but dad. But that's what you wanted, right Dean?

            He wanted to go get something to drink but he knew he shouldn't leave Cas alone especially if he were asleep. Dammit, Sam. He looked back at Cas. All he could see was the side of his face protruding out from underneath the covers. His hair had already gone fuzzy the way it does.

            They were alone. In a room. Cas was there. Lying there. Dean felt such a strong longing in his chest that he felt like he was going to break apart, literally, like the weird feeling was just going to sever his joints and melt his heart into cold goo.

            He wasn't much for poetry.

            He just knew that everything he had said was bullshit and he just wanted to go back to the way things were. "Cas," he spoke up again.

            Nothing.

            "Cas, look I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say all those horrible things. I was just I don't know...being defensive." Nothing. "Cas? Are you awake? Look, I never meant to hurt your feelings, Cas. It was just all for a good time, you know? Meira got what she wanted, you got laid, and I got paid," he looked down at his hands. "I didn't mean for that to rhyme."

            "Leave me alone, Dean," he mumbled beneath the blankets.

            There wasn't anything he could do, so he just walked over to his bed and laid down, feeling keenly the empty space between them. Just close your eyes and try to sleep. Soon, this will be over. He woke to the sound of Sam, shaking Cas and calling for him to wake up.

            "Well, you better get dressed, Cas," he said. He quickly slipped to his feet and layered on his clothing. "I just got a text message from one of those sorority werewolves," Sam continued. "It's a picture of Meira tied down in their basement. She wrote that if we don't come by tomorrow morning, they were going to and I quote, 'totally sacrifice and eat this loser. lol'"

            "L.O.L. stands for laugh out loud. They are saying they find the situation amusing," Cas stated the obvious. "This predicament is very dire."

            "Yeah, Cas, I know."

            With his clothes back on Cas marched out the door to join John and Bobby. Approaching his brother, Dean just smiled thinly and shook his head and said to Sam, "You gotta admit. It's a little cute."

 

***

 

            John had insisted that his boys ride with him in the Impala. Bobby and Cas rode in the new car. Naturally, Dean was worried but he just obliged like he did to all his father's orders. The motel was 20 minutes from the sorority house so John didn't wait. He looked at Sam through the rearview mirror and asked, "So what was it that you wanted to talk to Bobby about?"

            "What?" Sam glared at back at him.

            "You came in saying you needed to talk to Bobby, so what did you talk about?"

            Dean squirmed in his seat and looked out the window wishing they would get there sooner.

            "None of your business," Sam snapped back.

            "I happen to think that it has to do with me."

            "And if it does? I don't have to say anything to you."

            "If you got a problem, Sam, speak up. I'm not going to drive all the way back to South Dakota with you glaring at me when you think I'm not looking."

            Sam smiled in disbelief, shaking his head at his father's gull. "You know what, maybe I will tell you."

            "I'm listening."

            "Do we really have to do this?" Dean pleaded. He had just got done arguing with Cas, he wasn't sure if he had enough energy to endure another fight.

            "Yes, we do, Dean," His father said, sternly as if it were obviously the right thing to do. Dean wasn't so sure. "Do you have a problem, Sam?"

            "Yeah, I do," Sam was already angry. "How about we start off with how easy it was for you to accept what Dean did."

            "What did I do?"

            "You prostituted yourself to get dad out of jail and dad just acted like it was ok. It's not ok."

            "Sam, I'm not traumatized or anything, ok? It's no big deal."

            "It is a big deal." He was so angry his cheeks were flushed.

            "Sam," John spoke up. "I'm not happy with what Dean did but he did what he thought he had to for the good of the family. Now, I wish he hadn't but I'm not going to be angry with him."

            "I'm not asking you to be angry with him, dad. I'm asking you to be angry with yourself. What have you done for the good of the family?"

            "Excuse me, son?"

            "You heard me!" Sam barked back. Dean thought his brother might start punching the back of their seats. "If you didn't screw up, Dean never would have done that. And yeah, Cas isn't some gross old guy but he could have been. I'm just sick of you dumping all you shit on Dean. When are you going to be the one who is going to have to sacrifice for this family, huh? Dean does everything and you just think that makes him a fag."

            "I'm alright, Sam, really. Stop, please, just stop."

            "I've done a lot for this family, Sam," John said. Sam rolled his eyes and scoffed at that. "Now, I said I'm not happy about what Dean did but I don't think he deserves to be yelled at and I think he realizes it was the wrong move but it's in the past and we need to move on."

            "Yeah, you know what the messed up thing is, dad," Sam looked at him in the rearview, his eyes a lit with fury. "You're more okay with your son selling his body to bail you out from jail then if he was gay, you do realize that, right?"

            "That isn't true," John shook his head.

            "Yeah it is and we all saw that."

            "You don't know that, Sam," Dean said.

            "Yeah, I do know that and so do you because if that wasn't the case, you wouldn't have blurted it out and embarrassed Cas in front of everyone. So ok, lets just pretend that you're this great supportive and understanding father when we both know its bullshit."

            "Sam, why must you get angry about everything?" John seemed beat. He just couldn't keep up with him.

            "It's not true," Dean mumbled and looked out the window, wishing he were somewhere else.

            "Right, then why don't you tell Cas how you really feel, Dean?"

            "What?" He turned around and looked directly at his brother.

            "I saw you, Dean. I know you. I know everything about you."

            "What are you talking about? Shut up."

            "You-"

            "Shut the fuck up, Sam!" Dean glared at him. The look in his eyes was so frightening that Sam didn't say another word.

            They rode the rest of the way in silence.

            Cas and Bobby were already waiting there when the Winchesters arrived. "Delta Theta Werewolf is expecting us," Bobby said pointing to the house. In each of the front windows, one of the girls was standing. It looked downright bizarre. "So what's the plan?"

            "Dean, get my sniper rifle," John said.

            The girls didn't keep the same formation once they saw him pull it out of the trunk, realizing that if they just stood there, they'd be easy targets and so they disappeared into the house. Bobby suggested they split up, one group goes through the front, another geos through the back. Sam said he'd go with him leaving Cas to go with his dad and brother.

            The doors surprisingly weren't locked and when they entered, they couldn't see any of the girls. John said they probably were in the basement with Meira. He wasn't wrong. Once they found the door that led down there, they could hear them talking, plotting, but mostly, they were arguing. Without Haru, they had no pack leader.

            All they could do was go downstairs and fight hand to hand and hope to win.

            The girls hearing them coming down the creaky basement stairs formed a circle around Meira. She was gagged and struggling against the ropes they had tied her with.

            As soon as all of them had made it down, one of the girls let out a loud laugh and calling them idiots pulled a rope, that led to a device that released buckets unto them. "Move!" Bobby shouted and they all jumped just in time. They recognized the smell of it immediately, gasoline. They had meant to burn them alive.

            John didn't wait. He immediately raised his gun and put a bullet straight through her heart. The fight became intense. Cas losing his gun at one point, bashed one of their faces in with a pipe. He soon rushed over to Meira and undid the ropes that bound her.

            "Are you okay?"

            "Yeah, I'm fine."

            One of the wolves, jumping on him, dug a claw into his arm and he let out a loud scream. Dean didn't hesitate. He grabbed her by her hair and throwing her down despite her monster strength and put three bullets into her heart.

            The fight lasted about 10 minutes but it got rough. Bobby was nearly knocked unconscious when he was thrown against a stone wall but they managed to defeat the sorority with Cas' wound being the worst.

            Meira immediately set to cleaning him up even though Dean insisted that he could probably do a better job. "What he needs is a doctor," Bobby said.

            "I'm fine," Cas protested not allowing either of them to touch him.

            They waited until midnight to drag the bodies out and burn them on a makeshift pyre next to the trampoline and weird pump that was attached to a keg. They stood vigil over the bodies, the five them lined up in a row, exhausted and bruised.

            Meira as if in a daze spoke up, "They tied me to a chair and made me listen to "Backstreet's Back" for four hours straight."

            The others were merely quiet.

            "Well, we can chalk this one up as one of the strangest cases," Bobby suddenly said as if what Meira had told them needed processing.

            "This is horrible," Cas uttered, his eyes fixated on the flame. "They were too young. I don't think they realized what had happened to them."

            "Well, now it's over," John added with finality.

            The bodies had all burned to ash. While Dean was reloading the car, Cas without looking at Meira who stood beside him, directed his words instead at Sam and said goodbye. He turned around and simply walked away. When Dean came back, he asked where he was.

            "He left," Meira informed him.

            "You're joking," Dean muttered and Bobby walking passed him, placed a hand on his shoulder.

            "Don't you think you two tortured that boy enough?" he said and made his way over to John's car where he was already sitting behind the wheel. Sam told Meira that Dean and him would give her a ride back in the impala and she just nodded, saying nothing more realizing that she had nearly lost her life and just lost her best friend. Dean however stood where he was as if he couldn't believe that Cas had actually left.

            When they reached her apartment, she mumbled to herself that this was the worst day of her life and Sam, who had been driving looked at her through the rear view and said, "I'm sure Cas is having a worse day." And it was true. His house was in shambles, his wound was likely throbbing in pain; he had been humiliated and betrayed by his best friend, his heart broken.

            They all knew this. "Right," she nodded weakly and crawled out of the back seat. She headed towards the door and then realizing something, turned around and said to Dean, "we fucked up royally. I'm sorry I suggested this. I hope I didn't mess up your relationship with your dad like messed up my relationship with Cas."

            "We both fucked up," he confessed.

            "Can I ask you a question, Dean?"

            "Shoot."

            "Did you care about him at all? Even a little?" Somehow that seemed to matter to her. She watched him down from the mass of her tangled black hair. Sam too watched the side of his face already knowing the answer but wondering what his brother was going to say.

            "He was a nice guy. Deserved better," he answered simply, revealing very little. They said their goodbyes and the Winchesters drove away, heading to South Dakota, stopping at several motels on the way and hunting down a skin shifter in a suburb right outside Chicago and Dean forced Sam to go to a carnival they had set up in Minnesota and laughed at him while he avoided looking at the clowns that danced about with multicolored balloon animals and Dean ate so much pink cotton candy he vomited in the toilet of their wolf themed motel room where he looked up from it's porcelain rim and admired in his nausea the row of lights above the vanity that looked like three grey full moons.

            When they reached Bobby's, John had already skipped town to follow a case in Oregon and Bobby ordered Chinese food for them and they watched _Ginger Snaps_ on VHS and Sam said he thought the two sisters looked familiar. Dean called it an early night and crawling into a sleeping bag on the floor of Bobby's study, he laid awake and thought again of Cas as he thought about him every night just before bed, or every moment he was free, staring off at the two lane highway, counting the breaks in the yellow line and remembering how innocently he looked up at him on that bed in his hotel room. Some nights, he was filled with desire. Some nights, he was filled with anger at himself; some nights, regret and other times he was filled with a burning shame but every night Dean missed him and he'd close his eyes and drowning everything out, he'd pretend that he was back in that room with him and Cas was laughing as he put his fingers in his mouth.

            The next morning, Bobby said he found a case for them in New York and so they hit the road. "New York isn't too far from New Haven," Dean said his eyes on the road.

            "And?" Sam inquired suspiciously.

            "Just stating."

            "No you're not."

            Dean glanced at his brother who stared back at him worried. "Look, I just think I should formally apologize. Maybe he'll hear me out now that he's not as angry."

            "You really think that's a good idea, Dean?"

            But Dean didn't answer. Instead he called Cas' number 20 times as they pumped gas in some small town in Ohio. Sam said he probably got a new phone. "Besides, I don't think he wants to see you," he added but Dean ignored him and kept calling anyway.

            Before they could make it to New Haven, John phoned them and said he had an urgent case for the boys in Arkansas and they had to get moving immediately. There was nothing he could do. It would be another year before Dean saw Cas again.

 

 

           


End file.
